Edo Waks

Edo Waks is the Herbert Rabin Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Maryland (UMD), and Associate Director of the Quantum Technology Center (QTC). He holds affiliations with the Joint Quantum Institute (JQI), the Institute for Research in Electronics and Applied Physics (IREAP), and the Brain and Behavior Institute. His research focuses on quantum photonics, including topological photonics, quantum confined emitters, and low-energy opto-electronics. Waks leads projects such as a $1M NSF-funded initiative to develop quantum interconnects for ion trap quantum computers. He has pioneered work on photonic crystal-based quantum information processing and solid-state quantum emitters.

Education: B.S. and M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University (1995–1996), Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University (2003). Postdoctoral research at Stanford under Professors Yoshihisa Yamamoto and Jelena Vuckovic.

Research interests include applications of photonic crystals to quantum computing and sensing, with key contributions in cavity quantum electrodynamics (QED), quantum dot photonics, and topological photonic systems. His lab develops scalable quantum devices and hybrid systems integrating trapped ions with photonic chips.

Awards include the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, NSF Career Award, and APS Fellow. His work has been published in Nature Photonics, Physical Review Letters, and Optica.

Grants and collaborations include leadership in multi-institutional NSF projects and the Center for Integration of Modern Optoelectronic Materials on Demand (IMOD). His lab focuses on quantum networks, low-power optoelectronics, and topological photonics applications.

Labs and Teams: Quantum Photonics Lab (JQI/IREAP), Quantum Technology Center, and collaborations with MIT, University of Arizona, and others in quantum networking initiatives.