Jong-Yeon Lee

Jong-Yeon Lee is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he joined in 2023 after completing postdoctoral research at the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics. His work bridges condensed matter physics and quantum information science through investigations of quantum many-body phenomena.

His educational background includes:

• B.S. in Physics and Mathematics from California Institute of Technology (2015)
• Ph.D. in Physics from Harvard University (2020)

Professor Lee's research focuses on exotic quantum phenomena where information theory intersects condensed matter systems. He develops frameworks for understanding decoherence in topological phases, quantum criticality in open systems, and non-equilibrium dynamics using advanced numerical methods. His work on "decohered" quantum systems reveals how information-theoretic transitions relate to boundary quantum criticality, with implications for quantum computing robustness.

His publication record shows consistent innovation in quantum information preservation under decoherence, topological phase characterization, and computational studies of correlated electron systems like twisted bilayer graphene. Recent work emphasizes decoding protocols for topological order recovery and information capacity under environmental entanglement.

He was awarded the Richard P. Feynman Prize in Theoretical Physics during undergraduate studies at Caltech.

Professor Lee actively recruits graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, teaching graduate courses including PHYS 598 Special Topics in Physics. His group focuses on quantum simulation platforms and theoretical frameworks for noisy quantum systems.

At Illinois, he contributes to the theoretical condensed matter and quantum information research ecosystem, developing collaborations across physics and engineering disciplines.