Joan Vaccaro

Professor Joan Vaccaro is a faculty member at Griffith University, affiliated with the School of Environment and Science and the Department of Applied Mathematics and Physics. She holds the rank of Professor and is part of the Centre for Quantum Dynamics and the Queensland Quantum and Advanced Technologies Research Institute (QUATRI). Her research focuses on quantum physics, thermodynamics, and foundational questions in physics such as the directionality of time and quantum information theory. She has supervised numerous doctoral and master’s students in topics like quantum engines, memory erasure, and time symmetry.

Education: PhD and BSc(Hon) in Physics from Griffith University. Research interests include quantum thermodynamics, quantum coherence, T-violation, and the philosophical implications of quantum mechanics. Her work explores the interplay between quantum systems and thermodynamic principles, with applications to quantum computing and foundational physics.

Key projects include studies on memory erasure without energy cost, quantum heat engines, and the origin of time's arrow. She has collaborated with institutions like Lockheed Martin on quantum technologies. Grants include projects on quantum dynamics and energy-efficient systems.

Her lab, the Centre for Quantum Dynamics, focuses on theoretical and applied quantum physics. She actively contributes to interdisciplinary research at Griffith University, bridging quantum theory, thermodynamics, and computational methods.