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Olga Gerloff
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UNSW Sydney Scientia Professor Michelle Simmons has been named the winner of the annual 2023 Prime Minister鈥檚 Prize for Science for her achievements in creating the field of atomic electronics, with a mission to create the world鈥檚 first error-corrected quantum computer here in Australia.

Prof. Simmons is the Director of the at UNSW and the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of UNSW start-up (SQC), Australia鈥檚 first quantum computing company.

Prof.聽Simmons is an ARC Laureate Fellow and former 2018 Australian of the Year. She is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of London, the American Academy of Arts and Science, the American Association of the Advancement of Science, the UK Institute of Physics, the American Physical Society, the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering, and the Australian Academy of Science.

Her discoveries have the potential to impact almost every industry that is dependent on data, such as revolutionising therapeutic drug design, optimising route planning for delivery or logistical systems thereby reducing fuel costs and delivery times, and creating better fertilisers for agriculture.

鈥淚鈥檓 over the moon to receive the Prime Minister鈥檚 Prize for Science. Yet figuring out how to make electronic devices with atomic precision is not something I could ever have done on my own.聽For 25 years, I have worked with many amazing scientists and engineers 鈥 and I am enormously grateful to all of them,鈥 Prof. Simmons said.

鈥淚 would add a particular thank you to my current team. They are the most exceptionally talented group I have ever worked with. I can鈥檛 imagine a better group of people or a more likely team to deliver an error-corrected quantum computer for the benefit of Australia and the world.鈥

The Prime Minister鈥檚 Prizes for Science are Australia鈥檚 most prestigious awards for outstanding achievements in scientific research, research-based innovation and excellence in science teaching. UNSW Scientia Professor Trevor McDougall was last year鈥檚 winner of the Prime Minister鈥檚 Prize for Science for significant advancement of knowledge through science and research.

Associate Professor Brett Hallam from UNSW Engineering received the 2022 Prize for New Innovators, and Professor Alison Todd and Dr Elisa Mokany from UNSW Science were joint winners of the Prime Minister鈥檚 Prize for Innovation.

Michele Simmons

Michelle Simmons received the 2023 Prime Minister鈥檚 Prize for Science from the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese. Photo: Department of Industry, Science and Resources.

UNSW Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Attila Brungs congratulated Prof. Simmons on this outstanding achievement.

鈥淢ichelle is internationally renowned for creating the field of atomic electronics, pioneering new technologies to build computing devices in silicon at the atomic scale,鈥 he said.

鈥淪he is one of a handful of researchers in Australia to have twice received an Australian Research Council Federation Fellowship. She is a global superstar聽and I applaud her achievements in receiving the 2023 Prime Minister鈥檚 Prize for pioneering this important field.鈥

UNSW Dean of Science, Scientia Professor Sven Rogge, said this was a significant achievement in the field of science.

鈥淚鈥檓 immensely proud of our quantum computing researchers at UNSW, and Michelle is the extraordinary leader of this incredible team,鈥 Prof. Rogge said.

鈥淗er discoveries are now being commercialised as the basis for a new generation of quantum computing. Congratulations to Michelle on being awarded the Prime Minister鈥檚 Prize for Science, it鈥檚 a well-deserved recognition.鈥 聽

Michelle Simmons Newsroom image

Michelle Simmons is pictured with one of Silicon Quantum Computing鈥檚 scanning tunnelling microscopes which enables the atomically precise manufacture of SQC鈥檚 silicon-based quantum processors. Atomic precision is critical to unlock the global potential of quantum computing. Photo: SQC

A pioneer in quantum computing

Alongside her team, Prof. Simmons has pioneered unique technologies internationally to build electronic devices in silicon at the atomic scale, including the world's smallest transistor, the narrowest conducting wires, 3D atomic electronics and the

鈥淭here are at least 60 different algorithms for quantum computing with numerous applications already identified, from drug design, improving the energy density of batteries to making nitrogen fertilisers more cost effectively and friendlier to the environment. I鈥檓 certain there are more applications not yet imagined,鈥 she said.

Prof. Simmons鈥 work focuses on adapting a scanning tunnelling microscope to not only image atoms, but to manipulate them to create new devices at the atomic scale. Her research has pioneered new technologies to realise the world鈥檚 first single atom transistor and then advance it to an integrated circuit where all components were made with atomic precision.

鈥淭here鈥檚 an extraordinary array of functional elements in a quantum processor. With atomic precision placement of just two types of atoms in our devices, phosphorus and silicon, we have proven that we can optimise the speed and quality of qubits, essential for realising an error corrected quantum computer,鈥 Prof. Simmons said

Her discoveries are now being commercialised as the basis for a new generation of quantum computing, a discipline which uses principles of quantum physics and is predicted to solve extremely complex problems in minutes that would otherwise take thousands of years.

A cutting-edge collaboration in quantum research

In 2017, Prof. Simmons founded Australia鈥檚 first quantum computing company, , a UNSW start-up, which is the only company in the world that manufactures with atomic precision.

鈥淭hrough the Centre of Excellence, and now our start-up company SQC, our research has been incredibly well supported by the University for two over decades. I am very grateful to UNSW and our shareholders, who have helped nurture the growth of fundamental research through to an Australian-born company in unique partnership with government and our industry partners, the Commonwealth Bank of Australia and Telstra,鈥 she said.

鈥淥ur team is always pushing the edge of what鈥檚 possible. As scientists and engineers, we get a daily shot of adrenalin to work in this space. As CEO it is very rewarding to lead a high-performing team in a uniquely Australian work context that is both collaborative and egalitarian.鈥

Prof. Simmons鈥 next mission is to create the world鈥檚 first error-corrected quantum computer here in Australia, working with homegrown talent, including local physicists, engineers, and computer scientists.

鈥淔or more than 25 years, Australia has been training engineers in quantum technologies, whether it's physicists, engineers, or computer scientists. And they all reside in Australia. Our talent to make the world鈥檚 first quantum computer is already here,鈥 Prof. Simmons said.

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