Professor Artur Ekert FRS honoured with the Milner Award

The College is delighted to announce that Professor Artur Ekert has been honoured with the Milner Award for his pioneering contributions to quantum communication and computation. His work has transformed the field of quantum information science from a niche academic activity into a vibrant interdisciplinary field of industrial relevance. 

Professor Ekert's invention of entanglement-based quantum cryptography forged connections between the foundations of quantum physics and secure communication. This led to a surge in research activity worldwide, and it continues to inspire new research directions.

In addition to his celebrated discovery that Bell's inequalities can be used for eavesdropping detection, Professor Ekert has made numerous significant contributions to the theoretical basis and practical realisation of quantum communication and computation. These include research on the universality of quantum logic gates, developing the first methods for stabilising and protecting quantum operations, elucidating the unifying structure of quantum algorithms, and proposing one of the first practical designs for quantum computation.

Professor Ekert commented:

"Unearthing the connections between cryptography and the foundations of quantum theory has been a captivating journey and it is very gratifying to have my work recognised. Quantum theory has undeniably unlocked numerous novel ways to understand and harness nature, including information, and I am excited to see what developments unfold over the near future."

Each year, the Royal Society recognises exceptional research achievements by awarding a series of prestigious medals and prizes. Professor Ekert is one of a group of four Oxford University researchers to receive Royal Society Awards for 2022-23. Congratulations to all. 

Read more on Professor Ekert's research.