Ignacio Cirac receives inaugural Richard Feynman Prize
The award, a collaboration between ICTP and IBM, recognises the theorist’s seminal contributions to quantum computing
The International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) and IBM have awarded the newly established Richard Feynman Prize for Quantum Computing to MPQ Director Ignacio Cirac. The prize committee acknowledges his central role in establishing the theoretical foundations of quantum information processing, including the theory of entanglement, quantum simulation, and tensor-network methods. The award ceremony took place on 21 April at ICTP in Trieste.
“I am especially happy to receive this prize, not only because it represents recognition of the highest calibre for work accomplished together with many wonderful collaborators, but also because it reflects the spirit of Richard Feynman, whose scientific brilliance and visionary ideas, including his proposal of quantum computers, have long inspired me,” comments awardee Ignacio Cirac.
The Richard Feynman Prize in Quantum Computing was established in 2025 by ICTP and IBM. Named after the physicist and Nobel laureate, it is awarded to established researchers who have made significant contributions to quantum computing, including theory, algorithms, applications, or simulation.
Ignacio Cirac is recognised for transforming theoretical concepts in quantum mechanics into ground-breaking proposals that have shaped quantum science and paved the way for technological applications. Together with Peter Zoller, he translated the idea that atoms and molecules could serve as qubits into a protocol for building quantum computers using trapped ions.
He also developed a framework that transformed how physicists understand entanglement, showing that it can be quantified, controlled, and harnessed for practical applications. He further demonstrated that quantum many-body systems can serve as quantum simulators to tackle complex problems in chemistry and materials science, currently one of the most promising near-term applications of quantum technology.
“Ignacio Cirac has been a pioneer and leading figure in the rapidly evolving field of quantum computing. Someone of his stature as the first winner of the ICTP-IBM Feynman Prize sets a high bar of excellence, in line with our aim to ensure that this newly-established prize comes to be regarded as a major recognition in the field,” said ICTP Director Atish Dabholkar.
“We created this prize with ICTP because celebrating researchers who turn bold theoretical ideas into practical reality is central to the future of quantum computing. Ignacio Cirac has done exactly that – his ideas, conceived decades ago, continue to drive some of the most exciting advances in the field today. IBM is proud to recognise him as the inaugural recipient of the ICTP-IBM Richard Feynman Prize, and we look forward to honouring those who will define the next era of quantum computing,” said Alessandro Curioni, IBM Fellow and Director of IBM Research Zurich.
(Text partly adapted from ICPT’s official statement.)
