Vivien Zapf has been named deputy director of the Quantum Science Center headquartered at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The QSC combines resources and expertise from national laboratories, universities and industry partners to accelerate the design and development of novel quantum technologies.

Zapf is a scientist at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory’s Pulsed Field Facility located at DOE’s Los Alamos National Laboratory, one of five core QSC partners along with ORNL, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Purdue University and Microsoft. Having led the QSC’s quantum spin liquids subject area since the center launched in 2020, Zapf now succeeds ORNL’s Stephen Jesse, who has served as interim deputy director since January 2022.

“With the Nobel prize having just been awarded in the field of quantum entanglement, quantum research is on the cusp of additional breakthroughs that could go in many different directions,” Zapf said. “Knowing that QSC researchers have the potential to contribute to quantum technologies that could have transformative impacts on society is truly awe-inspiring.”

In her new role, Zapf will collaborate extensively with QSC Director Travis Humble and other members of the leadership team to oversee research related to quantum materials, sensors and algorithms as well as continue the center’s steady stream of workforce development activities aimed at identifying and educating the next generation of quantum scientists and engineers.