Alex Breitweiser Receives IBM Ph.D. Fellowship

Alex Breitweiser, a graduate student in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, was awarded an IBM Ph.D. Fellowship. Breitweiser is also a member of Penn Engineering’s Quantum Engineering Laboratory.

Breitweiser is one of 24 fellows in the 2020 cohort.  His research focuses on optically addressable spin qubits and their potential applications to quantum computing and quantum communication.

Since 1951, the IBM Ph.D. Fellowship has supported students pursuing disruptive technologies, including hybrid cloud, quantum systems, artificial intelligence, open source technologies, cyber security, and data science. Fellows are chosen for their academic excellence and innovative research proposals.

Lee Bassett, Director of the Quantum Engineering Laboratory and Associate Professor of Electrical and Systems Engineering, says “Alex has a broad background in physics, mathematics, and computer science and he has a keen sense for the potential of quantum physics to drive new technologies. The IBM fellowship is a fantastic opportunity for him to pursue his own research while interacting with industry experts. The fact that IBM is interested in supporting this type of basic science research also speaks to the rapid progression of quantum engineering, and the need to connect people with different perspectives and disciplinary backgrounds in order to solve hard problems.”