Andrew Dzurak
{{Short description|Australian physicist and engineer}}
{{Infobox scientist
| name = Andrew Steven Dzurak
| image = Andrew Dzurak Image.jpg
| caption = Andrew Dzurak
| fields = {{Plainlist|
}}
| workplaces = {{Plainlist|
}}
| alma_mater = {{Plainlist|
- University of Cambridge, PhD
- University of Sydney, BSc (Hons) & University Medal
}}
| thesis_title = Ballistic hot-electrons in mesoscopic transistors
| thesis_url = https://idiscover.lib.cam.ac.uk/primo-explore/fulldisplay?docid=44CAM_ALMA21429738560003606&context=L&vid=44CAM_PROD&lang=en_US&search_scope=SCOP_CAM_ALL&adaptor=Local%20Search%20Engine&tab=cam_lib_coll&query=any,contains,dzurak&offset=0
| thesis_year = 1993
| doctoral_advisor = Professor Sir Michael Pepper, FRS
| awards = {{Plainlist|
- Pearcey Hall of Fame inductee (2024)
- ARC Laureate Fellowship (2019)
- Fellow of the Royal Society of New South Wales (2015)
- Eureka Prize for Scientific Research (2011)
}}
| website = {{Plainlist|
- https://research.unsw.edu.au/people/scientia-professor-andrew-dzurak
- {{URL|https://diraq.com/}}
}}
}}
Andrew Dzurak is an Australian physicist and engineer, known for his work in quantum computing. He is the CEO and founder of Diraq,{{Cite web |date=2024-03-14 |title=Andrew Dzurak |url=https://theconversation.com/profiles/andrew-dzurak-1519373 |access-date=2025-05-23 |website=The Conversation |language=en-US}} a start-up that is developing a scalable quantum computer based on single electron spins in silicon. He is a Scientia Professor in Quantum Engineering at the University of New South Wales (UNSW),{{Cite web |title=Scientia Professor Andrew Dzurak |url=https://research.unsw.edu.au/people/scientia-professor-andrew-dzurak |access-date=2025-05-23 |website=research.unsw.edu.au |language=en}} an ARC Laureate Fellow and a member of the Executive Board of the Sydney Quantum Academy.{{Cite web |date=2020-10-29 |title=About Us » Sydney Quantum Academy |url=https://sydneyquantum.org/about-us/ |access-date=2025-05-23 |website=Sydney Quantum Academy |language=en-US}}
Education
Dzurak completed his Bachelor of Science at the University of Sydney in 1987. He then earned his PhD in experimental physics from the University of Cambridge in 1993, under the supervision of Professor Sir Michael Pepper, FRS. {{Citation needed|date=May 2025}}
Research
While in Cambridge, Dzurak studied hot electron and ballistic transport in various semiconductor nanostructures, including quantum point contact and quantum dot systems, which were then newly discovered. He also became an expert in the fabrication and low-temperature measurement of nanoelectronic devices, skills that he applied upon his return to Australia. {{Citation needed|date=May 2025}}
In 1994, Dzurak took up a Vice-Chancellor’s Research Fellowship in the School of Physics at the UNSW, followed by an ARC Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in 1996. He was the founding Director (2007–2022) of ANFF–NSW, the NSW node of the Australian National Fabrication Facility.{{Cite web |title=Andrew Dzurak |url=https://creativedestructionlab.com/mentors/andrew-dzurak/ |access-date=2025-05-23 |website=Creative Destruction Lab |language=en}} He was also instrumental in setting up the ARC Centre for Quantum Computer Technology, which was established by Professor Robert Clark in January 2000, and now maintains the world’s largest focused collaboration on silicon-based quantum computing.
In the late-1990s, Andrew began research on single-atom spin-based quantum bits (qubits). Together with his colleague Andrea Morello, Dzurak demonstrated real-time readout of the quantum state of a single electron spin in silicon in 2010,{{Cite journal |last=Morello |first=Andrea |last2=Pla |first2=Jarryd J. |last3=Zwanenburg |first3=Floris A. |last4=Chan |first4=Kok W. |last5=Tan |first5=Kuan Y. |last6=Huebl |first6=Hans |last7=Möttönen |first7=Mikko |last8=Nugroho |first8=Christopher D. |last9=Yang |first9=Changyi |last10=van Donkelaar |first10=Jessica A. |last11=Alves |first11=Andrew D. C. |last12=Jamieson |first12=David N. |last13=Escott |first13=Christopher C. |last14=Hollenberg |first14=Lloyd C. L. |last15=Clark |first15=Robert G. |date=2010-10-26 |title=Single-shot readout of an electron spin in silicon |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/nature09392 |journal=Nature |language=en |volume=467 |issue=7316 |pages=687–691 |doi=10.1038/nature09392 |issn=1476-4687|arxiv=1003.2679 }} followed by the world’s first silicon qubits in 2012.{{Cite journal |last=Pla |first=Jarryd J. |last2=Tan |first2=Kuan Y. |last3=Dehollain |first3=Juan P. |last4=Lim |first4=Wee H. |last5=Morton |first5=John J. L. |last6=Jamieson |first6=David N. |last7=Dzurak |first7=Andrew S. |last8=Morello |first8=Andrea |date=2012-09-19 |title=A single-atom electron spin qubit in silicon |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/nature11449 |journal=Nature |language=en |volume=489 |issue=7417 |pages=541–545 |doi=10.1038/nature11449 |issn=1476-4687|arxiv=1305.4481 }}{{Cite web |title=Single-atom writer a landmark for quantum computing |url=https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/692230 |access-date=2025-05-23 |website=EurekAlert! |language=en}} Since then, Dzurak has developed a naturally scalable qubit technology by reconfiguring the CMOS transistors that make up standard silicon processor chips.{{Cite web |last=create |date=2017-10-19 |title=In the race to build the world’s first quantum computer, UNSW bets on silicon |url=https://createdigital.org.au/first-quantum-computer-unsw-silicon/ |access-date=2025-05-23 |website=create digital |language=en-AU}}{{Cite web |last=Anderton |first=Kevin |title=The Largest Roadblock In Quantum Computing Has Been Passed [Infographic] |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/kevinanderton/2020/04/20/the-largest-roadblock-in-quantum-computing-has-been-passed-infographic/ |access-date=2025-05-23 |website=Forbes |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Oliveira |first=Andre Luiz Saraiva De |last2=Dzurak |first2=Andrew |date=2024-03-28 |title=Quantum computing just got hotter: 1 degree above absolute zero |url=https://theconversation.com/quantum-computing-just-got-hotter-1-degree-above-absolute-zero-226401 |access-date=2025-05-23 |website=The Conversation |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Johnston |first=Hamish |date=2019-05-13 |title=Silicon two-qubit gate achieves 98% fidelity |url=https://physicsworld.com/a/silicon-two-qubit-gate-achieves-98-fidelity/ |access-date=2025-05-23 |website=Physics World |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |last=Hendry |first=Justin |date=2023-10-11 |title=Diraq: A silicon spin on quantum computing |url=https://www.innovationaus.com/diraq-a-silicon-spin-on-quantum-computing/ |access-date=2025-05-23 |website=InnovationAus.com |language=en-AU}}
Diraq
In May 2022, Dzurak founded Diraq to commercialize the patent portfolio he had developed at UNSW and to work toward building a utility-scale quantum computer.{{Cite web |last=Whittaker |first=Mark |date=2024-06-13 |title='Record demonstration': Dark horse in quantum race passes new milestone |url=https://www.forbes.com.au/news/entrepreneurs/diraq-quantum-race-passes-new-milestone/ |access-date=2025-05-23 |website=Forbes Australia |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Dargan |first=James |date=2024-03-08 |title=Diraq: Pioneering Silicon-Based Technology For a Quantum Future |url=https://thequantuminsider.com/2024/03/08/diraq-pioneering-silicon-based-technology-for-a-quantum-future/ |access-date=2025-05-23 |website=The Quantum Insider |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Riley |first=James |date=2023-11-19 |title=Diraq: 'Commercially relevant' quantum computer in five years |url=https://www.innovationaus.com/diraq-commercially-relevant-quantum-computer-in-five-years/ |access-date=2025-05-23 |website=InnovationAus.com |language=en-AU}}{{Cite web |date=2024-04-18 |title=Quick Takes: Three entrepreneurs we're watching right now |url=https://www.forbes.com.au/covers/entrepreneurs/quick-takes-entrepreneurs/ |access-date=2025-05-23 |website=Forbes Australia |language=en-US}}
Awards
- H S Carslaw Memorial Scholarship, University of Sydney (1987)
- Cambridge Australia Scholarship, Cambridge Commonwealth Trust (1988)
- Vice-Chancellor’s Research Fellowship, University of New South Wales (1994)
- ARC Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, Australian Research Council (1996)
- Eureka Prize for Scientific Research (2011) {{Cite web |last= |first= |title=2011 Australian Museum Eureka Prize winners |url=https://australian.museum/get-involved/eureka-prizes/eureka-prizes-archive/2011-eureka-prize-winners/ |access-date=2025-05-23 |website=The Australian Museum |language=en}}
- NSW Govt. Award for Excellence in Engineering and Information and Communications Technologies (2012)
- Best New Invention, UNSW Innovation Awards (2014) {{Cite web |title=Big ideas lauded at innovation awards |url=https://www.unsw.edu.au/newsroom/news/2014/10/big-ideas-lauded-at-innovation-awards |access-date=2025-05-23 |website=UNSW Sites |language=en}}
- “Top Ten Breakthroughs of 2015”, Physics World, UK (2015) {{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2015-12-11 |title=Double quantum-teleportation milestone is Physics World 2015 Breakthrough of the Year |url=https://physicsworld.com/a/double-quantum-teleportation-milestone-is-physics-world-2015-breakthrough-of-the-year/ |access-date=2025-05-23 |website=Physics World |language=en-GB}}
- Elected Fellow, Royal Society of New South Wales (2015)
- ARC Laureate Fellowship (2019)
- Quantum Alliance Award, American Chamber of Commerce in Australia (2023) {{Cite web |last=Advanced Solutions International, Inc. |title=Winners |url=https://www.amcham.com.au/Gala2023/Winners.aspx |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20231026142615/https://www.amcham.com.au/Gala2023/Winners.aspx |archive-date=2023-10-26 |access-date=2025-05-23 |website=www.amcham.com.au |language=en}}
- Pearcey Hall of Fame inductee (2024) {{Cite web |title=UNSW Quantum Professor presented Hall of Fame |url=https://www.pearcey.org.au/blog/2025/unsw-quantum-professor-presented-hall-of-fame/ |access-date=2025-05-23 |website=The Pearcey Foundation |language=en}}
References
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Category:Academic staff of the University of New South Wales
Category:Fellows of the Royal Society of New South Wales
Category:Alumni of the University of Cambridge