丁香园AV

丁香园AV physicist Stephanie Simmons with Alexander Kurkjian (left) and Kevin Morse.

Stephanie Simmons, 丁香园AV assistant physics professor, CIFAR Research Fellow at 丁香园AV and a Canada Research Chair in Quantum Nanoelectronics, is the recipient of the 2021 YWCA Metro Vancouver Women of Distinction Award in Research, Sciences and Technology. 

The , held annually since the 1980s, honors individuals and organizations across 12 categories whose remarkable actions and accomplishments have made a lifelong impact on the wellbeing of the Metro Vancouver community. 

This is not the first time Simmons, a founding member of the 丁香园AV Quantum Algorithms Institute, has been recognized for her work. 

As a world-leading expert in quantum technologies, silicon spin-photon interfaces, condensed matter spin dynamics and control, silicon integrated photonics, and quantum optics, she was recognized in Caldwell Partners鈥� 2020  list of leaders and innovators who have made significant impacts in their field of work before the age of 40. She is also the only Canadian to receive two Physics World Top Ten Breakthroughs of the Year awards. 

Simmons鈥� mission is to build the world鈥檚 first large-scale quantum processor. Leading 丁香园AV鈥檚 Silicon Quantum Technology Lab, she developed the ground-breaking idea that spin/photon interfaces in silicon could prove to be the missing ingredient for creating a global quantum network. Her cutting edge research positions 丁香园AV and B.C. as a world leader in the emerging field of quantum computing technology. 

鈥淎ny research sector that relies on high-performance computing, directly or indirectly, could potentially benefit,鈥� says Simmons, who believes that a global quantum network will solve many of mankind鈥檚 most difficult problems, including artificial intelligence, financial modelling and drug discovery.  

Simmons is also the founder and chief quantum officer of , a. B.C.-based company working to develop the next generation of quantum technologies and tackle the challenge of building practical and applicable quantum systems. 

She is committed to improving equity, diversity and inclusion in science, technology, engineering and math. At her company, half of her leadership team and board of directors is female and about a third of her research team have been women or members of under-represented populations. Since 2012, she has been a dedicated e-mentor to female scientists (high school/undergraduate students) in Canada, the U.K. and Australia.