Dirk Englund

Dirk Englund is a Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) at MIT, leading the QP-Group focused on quantum technologies, nanophotonics, and optical systems. His research spans quantum computing, quantum sensing, and photonic integration, with emphasis on silicon photonics and 2D materials. Englund joined MIT in 2013 after roles at Columbia University and Harvard. He has pioneered advancements in quantum networks, photonic neural networks, and optical AI accelerators.

Education: BS in Physics from Caltech (2002), MS in Electrical Engineering and PhD in Applied Physics from Stanford (2008). Postdoctoral research at Harvard (2008–2010).

Research Interests: Quantum-enhanced sensing, solid-state quantum memories, spin-photon interfaces, and photonic integrated circuits. Key areas include silicon photonics for quantum information processing, 2D material-based optoelectronics, and optical quantum networks.

Awards: 2011 PECASE, 2017 Adolph Lomb Medal, 2018 Bose Fellowship, 2020 Humboldt Fellowship. Active in developing MIT’s quantum engineering curriculum, including the 6-5 Electrical Engineering with Computing track.

Labs/Teams: QP-Group collaborates with researchers like Dr. Ryan Hamerly and Dr. Matt Trusheim. Current projects include high-definition quantum-limited optical bolometry and photonic AI processors.

Grants/Positions: Recipient of DARPA Young Faculty Award (2012), NSF grants, and industry partnerships with companies like Q Tools. Oversees research positions in quantum networks, photonics for machine learning, and 2D quantum devices.