The Questionnaire: Four industry leaders on the mind-boggling problem-solving potential of quantum computing
“It’s not about understanding it so much as just getting used to it”
Aharon Brodutch
Senior staff engineer, IonQ Canada
Connects quantum computers so they can process extremely large calculations
Your celebrity doppelgänger: “Ross Noble, the comedian.”
Favourite video game: “Star Control II. It has an amazing story, very good music and fun characters.”
Guilty pleasure: “Video games, for sure.”
Go-to coffee order: “A single shot of espresso in a porcelain cup.”
Quantum computers are special because… “They are the ultimate technology, offering a completely new way to compute.”
How you would explain quantum computing to a five-year-old: “It is to regular computing as an airplane is to a car.”
The weirdest thing about quantum physics: “Theories established 100 years ago still hold up.”
You knew you had to work in quantum computing when… “I fell in love with the philosophical implications and the math when I was studying physics for my undergrad.”
If you could be in two places at once: “Toronto, doing my job, and anywhere I can watch live music.”
The one character trait your job requires: “Determination. We’re solving really hard problems that no one has tackled before.”
Christian Weedbrook
Founder and CEO, Xanadu Quantum Technologies
Builds commercial quantum computers that are available to everyone
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Your celebrity doppelgänger: “Jeff Bezos. We’re both bald.”
Favourite video game: “Maybe Call of Duty? I’m not really a gamer.”
Guilty pleasure: “Diet Coke. I have four or five cans a day.”
Quantum computers are special because… “In a traditional computer, a bit of information is a zero or a one. A quantum computer can use zero and one at the same time. It’s an exponential improvement.”
The weirdest thing about quantum physics: “Entanglement. Two particles interact and then spread across the universe. What happens to one continues to affect the other.”
Best part of your office: “The view. We’re on the 29th floor right downtown. In academia, I was in a basement.”
Your biggest success: “Creating 160 jobs.”
Worst thing about your job: “We use light to build our computers, and photons get stripped away during the process. That’s an issue we need to fix.”
You knew you had to work in quantum computing when… “I was studying math but wanted to do something that had a real-word use.”
The one character trait your job requires: “A strong work ethic.”
Michele Mosca
Co-founder and CEO, EvolutionQ
Designs quantum cybersecurity solutions that protect institutions from attacks
Your celebrity doppelgänger: “People used to say I looked like Charlie Sheen, but maybe it’s Martin Sheen now.”
If you could have one superpower: “Being able to detect insincerity.”
Favourite video game: “Space Invaders. My kids look at it now and think it’s boring.”
Go-to coffee order: “Espresso cortado or espresso macchiato, depending on the time of day.”
Guilty pleasure: “Chocolate. I have a stash of gianduja in my office, which is a blend of hazelnut and chocolate.”
Quantum computers are special because… “They change everything we know about physics. The theorists I’ve met are half-crazy—in a good way!”
The weirdest thing about quantum physics: “It’s not about understanding it so much as just getting used to it.”
Your biggest success: “Establishing the Institute for Quantum Computing at the University of Waterloo.”
If you could be in two places at once: “Toronto-Waterloo and Italy, for the coffee and food.”
The one character trait your job requires: “Integrity. People have to trust you in the cybersecurity business.”
Mark Fingerhuth
Co-founder and head of R&D, ProteinQure
Discovers new drugs with quantum tech
Dream job as a kid: “Chemist. I loved the idea of working in a lab with lots of colourful liquids and burners going.”
Your celebrity doppelgänger: “Random people on the street tell me I look like Machine Gun Kelly.”
Favourite video game: “Beat Saber, the VR game.”
Guilty pleasure: “I love reality TV to shut off my brain. I call it my favourite televised sport.”
In one sentence, your company… “Designs novel protein-based therapeutics with the goal of curing cancer and autoimmune diseases.”
Quantum computers are special because… “They can simulate large molecules and entire sections of the universe.”
The weirdest thing about quantum physics: “I’d also say entanglement—Einstein joked that it was ‘spooky action at distance.’”
Your biggest success: “Last quarter, we conducted our first in-house drug discovery project, this one for breast cancer. We are fundraising now with the hope of bringing it to market.”
If you could be in two places at once: “Toronto, because I love this city, and Durban, in South Africa, for the surfing.”
The best part of your office: “To keep the floors clean, all of our employees wear animal slippers. Mine are a pair of giraffes.”
The one character trait your job requires: “Being interdisciplinary. Lots of science jobs these days are about bringing together experts in all fields. It never gets boring.”
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Aharon Brodutch
Senior staff engineer, IonQ Canada
Connects quantum computers so they can process extremely large calculations
Your celebrity doppelgänger: “Ross Noble, the comedian.”
Favourite video game: “Star Control II. It has an amazing story, very good music and fun characters.”
Guilty pleasure: “Video games, for sure.”
Go-to coffee order: “A single shot of espresso in a porcelain cup.”
Quantum computers are special because… “They are the ultimate technology, offering a completely new way to compute.”
How you would explain quantum computing to a five-year-old: “It is to regular computing as an airplane is to a car.”
The weirdest thing about quantum physics: “Theories established 100 years ago still hold up.”
You knew you had to work in quantum computing when... “I fell in love with the philosophical implications and the math when I was studying physics for my undergrad.”
If you could be in two places at once: “Toronto, doing my job, and anywhere I can watch live music.”
The one character trait your job requires: “Determination. We’re solving really hard problems that no one has tackled before.”
Christian Weedbrook
Founder and CEO, Xanadu Quantum Technologies
Builds commercial quantum computers that are available to everyone
[sjmcm layout="content_more_split_3" calling_post="601323" posts="3:post_tag:the-questionnaire:1:" label="More%20Questionnaires"]
Your celebrity doppelgänger: “Jeff Bezos. We’re both bald.”
Favourite video game: “Maybe Call of Duty? I’m not really a gamer.”
Guilty pleasure: “Diet Coke. I have four or five cans a day.”
Quantum computers are special because… “In a traditional computer, a bit of information is a zero or a one. A quantum computer can use zero and one at the same time. It’s an exponential improvement.”
The weirdest thing about quantum physics: “Entanglement. Two particles interact and then spread across the universe. What happens to one continues to affect the other.”
Best part of your office: “The view. We’re on the 29th floor right downtown. In academia, I was in a basement.”
Your biggest success: “Creating 160 jobs.”
Worst thing about your job: “We use light to build our computers, and photons get stripped away during the process. That’s an issue we need to fix.”
You knew you had to work in quantum computing when… “I was studying math but wanted to do something that had a real-word use.”
The one character trait your job requires: “A strong work ethic.”
Michele Mosca
Co-founder and CEO, EvolutionQ
Designs quantum cybersecurity solutions that protect institutions from attacks
Your celebrity doppelgänger: “People used to say I looked like Charlie Sheen, but maybe it’s Martin Sheen now.”
If you could have one superpower: “Being able to detect insincerity.”
Favourite video game: “Space Invaders. My kids look at it now and think it’s boring.”
Go-to coffee order: “Espresso cortado or espresso macchiato, depending on the time of day.”
Guilty pleasure: “Chocolate. I have a stash of gianduja in my office, which is a blend of hazelnut and chocolate.”
Quantum computers are special because… “They change everything we know about physics. The theorists I’ve met are half-crazy—in a good way!”
The weirdest thing about quantum physics: “It’s not about understanding it so much as just getting used to it.”
Your biggest success: “Establishing the Institute for Quantum Computing at the University of Waterloo.”
If you could be in two places at once: “Toronto-Waterloo and Italy, for the coffee and food.”
The one character trait your job requires: “Integrity. People have to trust you in the cybersecurity business.”
Mark Fingerhuth
Co-founder and head of R&D, ProteinQure
Discovers new drugs with quantum tech
Dream job as a kid: “Chemist. I loved the idea of working in a lab with lots of colourful liquids and burners going.”
Your celebrity doppelgänger: “Random people on the street tell me I look like Machine Gun Kelly.”
Favourite video game: “Beat Saber, the VR game.”
Guilty pleasure: “I love reality TV to shut off my brain. I call it my favourite televised sport.”
In one sentence, your company… “Designs novel protein-based therapeutics with the goal of curing cancer and autoimmune diseases.”
Quantum computers are special because… “They can simulate large molecules and entire sections of the universe.”
The weirdest thing about quantum physics: “I'd also say entanglement—Einstein joked that it was ‘spooky action at distance.’”
Your biggest success: “Last quarter, we conducted our first in-house drug discovery project, this one for breast cancer. We are fundraising now with the hope of bringing it to market.”
If you could be in two places at once: “Toronto, because I love this city, and Durban, in South Africa, for the surfing.”
The best part of your office: “To keep the floors clean, all of our employees wear animal slippers. Mine are a pair of giraffes.”
The one character trait your job requires: “Being interdisciplinary. Lots of science jobs these days are about bringing together experts in all fields. It never gets boring.”){kind=link}