Peter McMahon

Peter McMahon is an Associate Professor of Applied and Engineering Physics at Cornell University. His research bridges quantum and nonlinear optics, condensed-matter physics, and computer science, focusing on physical computation and quantum technologies.

• Ph.D., Stanford University (2014)
• M.S., Stanford University
• M.Sc., University of Cape Town
• B.Sc., University of Cape Town

McMahon’s lab explores the physics of computation, emphasizing quantum computing (photonic and superconducting-circuit platforms), photonic computing, and neuromorphic computing. They investigate how physical systems can surpass classical von Neumann processors, particularly in optimization, quantum simulation, and machine learning.

His publications highlight advancements in programmable quantum annealers (2020), quantum neural networks (2019), and comparative studies of Coherent Ising Machines and quantum annealers (2019). Key themes include near-term quantum applications, fault-tolerant architectures, and hybrid quantum-classical systems.

• Scientific Awards: Google Quantum Research Award, Stanford Nano- and Quantum Science and Engineering Postdoctoral Fellowship, Stanford Graduate Fellowship

McMahon advises Ph.D. and Master’s students, many of whom have transitioned to prestigious postdoc or industry roles at institutions like Yale, Google Quantum, and HRL Laboratories.