The Humboldt Professorships 2024, Germany's most highly endowed research award, were presented by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation in Berlin on 13 May. Federal Education Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger presented the award to a total of 12 top international researchers who are now moving to German universities. Two of the twelve professorships, Daniel Prades and Robert Raußendorf, will strengthen the QuantumFrontiers Cluster of Excellence at the Universities of Braunschweig and Hanover.
Daniel Prades is moving from Barcelona to Braunschweig with the Alexander von Humboldt Professorship. With prize money of around five million euros for five years, the expert in microphotonics will strengthen research at the Institute of Semiconductor Technology and in joint collaborative projects such as the QuantumFrontiers Cluster of Excellence. With his work on gas sensors based on microscopically small light-emitting diodes, Daniel Prades is using his expertise to provide new impetus for measuring environmental influences such as pollutants in the air everywhere and with little effort in order to develop early warning systems. ‘We are delighted that in Daniel Prades we have been able to recruit an internationally sought-after expert for our research focus on metrology,’ said Vice President Professor Peter Hecker at the award ceremony in Berlin.
The internationally recognised theoretical physicist Prof. Dr Robert Raußendorf, an expert in the field of quantum information theory, previously worked at the University of British Columbia, Canada. He now researches and teaches at the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics at LUH. Prof Dr Robert Raußendorf will receive 3.5 million euros over a period of five years.
LUH is extremely pleased about the appointment of Robert Raußendorf, who has made a number of spectacular contributions to quantum computing and fundamental quantum theory. ‘On the one hand, Mr Raußendorf will help us to bring our QuantumFrontiers Cluster of Excellence into the second funding phase and, on the other, to advance the major topic of quantum computing. Our goal in the Quantum Valley Lower Saxony project is to develop the first operational quantum computer - and Mr Raußendorf will play a decisive role in this,’ says Prof Dr Volker Epping, President of LUH.
