Monroe Elected Fellow of The Optical Society

Chris Monroe, professor of electrical and computer engineering and physics at Duke University, has been elected a Fellow of The Optical Society (OSA). Monroe was cited for “pioneering leadership in quantum information processing with trapped ions and ultrafast optics technology, and leadership in the National Quantum Initiative.”

Monroe joined Duke’s faculty in January 2021 and is leading the launch of the Duke Quantum Center, which will accelerate their progress and build custom quantum computers to solve specific research challenges, such as modeling complex molecules for new materials or forecasting the impacts of climate change.

Monroe is also a member of the advisory committee of the U.S. National Quantum Initiative, for which he advocated heavily for the creation. The initiative works to stimulate development of quantum information science and technology by fostering collaboration between federal organizations, academic institutions and private industry.

The OSA is a global enterprise dedicated to promoting technical, scientific, and educational knowledge in optics and photonics. A record 261 nominations were received this year and 118 were selected for the honor, making this program very competitive as no more than 10 percent of OSA’s total membership may be elected as Fellows.