Person

Simmons, Michelle Yvonne (1967 - )

AC FAA FRS FTSE

Born
14 July 1967
London, United Kingdom
Occupation
Quantum physicist and Science administrator

Summary

Michelle Simmons is a world leader in quantum computing and has pioneered technologies to build electronic devices at the atomic scale. With her team she created the first transistor made from a single atom. Simmons is Scientia Professor of Quantum Physics at the University of New South Wales and Director of the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology. In 2018 she was Australian of the Year, and in 2023 was awarded the Prime Minister's Prize for Science.

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Details

Chronology

1992
Education - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Durham University, United Kingdom
1992 - 1998
Career position - Research Fellow, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge
1999 -
Career position - Founding Member and Director, ARC Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology
1999
Life event - Settled in Australia
1999 - 2004
Career position - Queen Elizabeth II Research Fellow, University of New South Wales
2000 -
Career position - Manager, Atomic Fabrication and Crystal Growth Program, Centre for Quantum Computer Technology, School of Physics, University of New South Wales
2000 -
Career position - Director, Atomic Fabrication Facility, University of New South Wales
2003 -
Career position - Chair, New South Wales Branch, Australian Institute of Physics
2003 -
Career position - Member, C8 Commission, International Union of Pure and Applied Physics
2003 -
Career position - Australian Representative for Nanotechnology, International Union of Vacuum Sciences
2003
Award - ARC Federation Fellow
2005 -
Career position - Member, Expert Advisory Committee for Physics, Chemistry and Geosciences, Australian Research Council
2005
Award - Pawsey Medal, Australian Academy of Science
2006
Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Science (FAA)
2007 -
Career position - Associate Editor, IEEE Journal of nanotechnology
2007 - 2017
Career position - Chair, National Committee for Physics, Australian Academy of Science
2008
Award - ARC Federation Fellow
2009 -
Career position - Scientia Professor of Quantum Physics, Faculty of Science, University of New South Wales
2009
Award - Pollock Memorial Lecture, Royal Society of New South Wales
2011
Award - Award for Excellence in Mathematics, Earth Sciences, Chemistry, Physics and Astronomy, New South Wales Science and Enginnering Awards
2011
Award - New South Wales Scientist of the Year
2011
Career position - Director, ARC Centre of Excellence Quantum Computation and Communication Technology
2013 -
Award - ARC Laureate Fellowship
2013
Award - Walter Burfitt Prize, Royal Society of New South Wales
2014 -
Award - Member, American Academy of Arts and Sciences
2014
Award - Honorary Bragg Member, Royal Institution of Australia
2015
Award - Eureka Prize for Leadership in Science, Australian Museum
2015
Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (FTSE)
2015
Award - CSIRO Eureka Prize for Leadership in Science
2015
Award - Thomas Ranken Lyle Medal, Australian Academy of Science
2015
Award - Feynmann Prize in Nanotechology, Foresight Institute
2016 -
Award - Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science
2017
Award - Laureate in Physical Sciences, L'Oréal-UNESCO Women in Science Award
2018
Award - Fellow, The Royal Society, London (FRS)
2018
Award - Australian of the Year
2019
Award - Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) - For distinguished service to science education as a leader in quantum and atomic electronics, and as a role model
2020
Career position - Chair, Division of Quantum Information, American Physical Society
2020 - 2022
Career position - Board Member, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
2021 -
Award - Fellow, American Physical Society
2022 -
Career position - Chief Executive Officer, Silicon Quantum Computing, Univesity of New South Wales
2022
Award - Bakerian Medal, Royal Society, London
2023
Award - Erna Hamburger Prize, EPFL Wish Foundation, Switzerland
2023
Award - Prime Minister's Prize for Science, Commonwealth of Australia
2025 -
Award - Honorary Fellow, Australian Institute of Physics
2026
Award - Companion of the Order of Australian (AC) for eminent service to quantum physics and nanotechnology research, to atomic-scale engineering, to technology innovation and commercialisation, and to STEM education

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Helen Cohn

Created: 29 January 2019, Last modified: 27 January 2026

EOAS ID: biogs/P006232b.htm

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