Ivan Kassal

Professor Ivan Kassal is a Professor of Chemical Physics and ARC Future Fellow at the University of Sydney's School of Chemistry. He leads the Kassal Group and is a member of The University of Sydney Nano Institute. His research spans quantum computing for chemistry, organic and disordered electronics, and coherence in light harvesting. He has extensive collaborations across multiple disciplines and institutions, contributing significantly to the ARC Centre of Excellence for Exciton Science and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Engineered Quantum Systems.

Ivan Kassal earned his PhD in Chemical Physics from Harvard University in 2010, following dual Bachelor's degrees in Chemistry and Philosophy from Stanford University in 2006. His academic journey includes positions as Associate Professor at the University of Sydney (2020-2023), Senior Lecturer and Westpac Research Fellow (2017-2019), and ARC DECRA Fellow at the University of Queensland (2014-2017).

Professor Kassal's research focuses on three interconnected areas: quantum computing for chemical simulations, organic and disordered electronics, and quantum effects in light harvesting. His group develops theoretical tools for simulating light, energy, and charge dynamics in disordered materials, with applications to solar energy conversion. They design quantum algorithms for chemical dynamics and investigate how quantum effects can improve organic solar cells. His work demonstrates that even modest quantum delocalization dramatically enhances charge and exciton transport in disordered materials.

The publication trends show a clear progression from fundamental quantum transport studies to sophisticated quantum simulation techniques. His recent work focuses on analog quantum simulation of chemical dynamics, particularly using trapped-ion systems to model complex molecular processes that are intractable with classical computers. He has pioneered methods like delocalized kinetic Monte Carlo (dKMC) and jumping kinetic Monte Carlo (jKMC) to model charge transport in organic semiconductors with unprecedented accuracy.

• HDR Supervisor of the Year, Faculty of Science, University of Sydney
• Future Fellowship from the Australian Research Council
• Le Fèvre Medal from the Australian Academy of Science for outstanding basic research
• Westpac Research Fellowship
• Discovery Early Career Researcher Award
• RACI Physical Chemistry Division Lectureship

Professor Kassal actively mentors PhD students and postdoctoral researchers through the Sydney Nano Institute and the Sydney Quantum Academy. His group has secured significant funding including ARC Discovery Projects, Future Fellowships, and international collaborations with US Office of Naval Research. Current projects focus on trapped-ion quantum simulation of chemical dynamics and simulating chemical reactions on quantum computers. The Kassal Group maintains strong connections with experimental groups to validate theoretical predictions and develop practical applications for quantum technologies in chemistry and materials science.