Dr. Raymond Laflamme, a trailblazer in quantum information processing and pioneer of the Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC) at the University of Waterloo, died on June 19 after a lengthy battle with cancer.
A legacy of quantum research excellence
Originally from Québec City, Canada, where he studied Physics as an undergraduate at the Université Laval, his curious mind led him to England. At Cambridge University, Laflamme earned his PhD under the supervision of Stephen Hawking and then moved to the Los Alamos National Laboratory, where his interests shifted from cosmology to quantum computing.
In 2001, he was attracted back to Canada where he joined the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Waterloo, and the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics. He served as the founding executive director of IQC from 2002 to 2017. Through his leadership, IQC became a world-class research hub, positioning Canada at the forefront of the quantum revolution.
In his scientific research, Laflamme pioneered theoretical and experimental approaches to quantum information processing and quantum error correction. Laflamme and colleagues developed an innovative approach to quantum information processing using linear optics, the results of which became one of the most referenced works in quantum computing. He devised and implemented new methods to make quantum information robust against corruption in both cryptographic and computational settings. Laflamme coauthored two textbooks on quantum computing: Building Quantum Computers: A Practical Introduction and An Introduction to Quantum Computing.
Laflamme received many national and international awards in recognition of his remarkable scientific accomplishments and leadership. He was named an Officer of the Order of Canada and was awarded the Canadian Association of Physicists CAP-CRM Prize in Theoretical and Mathematical Physics. He received a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, was recognized in the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada's inaugural Top 50 Discoveries list for 2006, received a Premier Research Award from the Government of Ontario, and held a Canada Research Chair from 2002 to 2023. Laflamme was a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, a Fellow of the American Physical Society, and a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). He held the inaugural Mike and Ophelia Lazaridis "John von Neumann" Chair in Quantum Information.
Building IQC and Canada's quantum strategy
Laflamme played a pivotal role in building Canada's global reputation in quantum information science and technology. In his 15 years as executive director, IQC grew from an idea to a world-leading centre for multidisciplinary research and attracted $530 million in funding to realize this vision, including generous donations from Mike and Ophelia Lazaridis. Today, IQC has 30 faculty members, and a community of over 300 researchers, making IQC and the University of Waterloo one of the largest centres for quantum research in the world.
Laflamme's impact in quantum technology extended beyond the University of Waterloo. Laflamme was named co-lead of the National Quantum Strategy Advisory Council, was the scientific director of QuantumWorks, led the Quantum Information Processing program at the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research and the NSERC-funded QuantumWorks.
In 2020, Laflamme and his wife established the Raymond Laflamme and Janice Gregson Graduate Scholarship for Women in Quantum Information Science, awarded annually to recognize top women entering Waterloo's quantum graduate programs.
Research driven by community and curiosity
Throughout his career, he found ways to bring people together. This was accomplished on an international scale by leading networks and organizing conferences, and within the local community through pick-up hockey games and sharing his insights generously with students and colleagues. In 2023, his former students and postdoctoral fellows held a conference in his honour.
Laflamme had an adventurous spirit and a light-hearted sense of humour. His curiosity about the world never dimmed. When he was diagnosed with lung cancer, he turned something tragic into a new research avenue. He started a project with researchers at Grand River Hospital in Kitchener to investigate quantum technologies for cancer research and treatment.
The IQC, Science and Waterloo community has lost a leader, teacher, mentor, and friend. We offer our deepest condolences to Laflamme's family.
