We are honored to announce that Daniel Lidar, holder of the Viterbi Professorship of Engineering at the University of Southern California (USC) and a Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Chemistry, and Physics & Astronomy, joins NAAI. Professor Lidar is being recognized for his outstanding academic contributions and pioneering research achievements, combining artificial intelligence with quantum computing and quantum information science
Prof. Lidar holds key leadership roles at USC as the founding Director of the Center for Quantum Information Science & Technology (CQIST), Director of the USC-IBM Quantum Innovation Center, and co-Director of the USC-Lockheed Martin Quantum Computing Center. A pioneer in quantum information science, Lidar has made trailblazing contributions to quantum computing – notably in quantum error correction and quantum annealing – which are critical techniques for protecting quantum information and solving complex optimization problems. His work on methods to overcome decoherence (noise) in quantum systems and to harness adiabatic quantum processes has helped lay the groundwork for practical quantum computers, bridging theoretical physics and engineering applications.
He pioneered the groundbreaking integration of quantum error correction with dynamic decoupling techniques, establishing theoretical frameworks for stabilizing quantum computers in noisy environments and advancing quantum algorithms for complex optimization challenges. His team's explorations in quantum machine learning have redefined AI model optimization through efficient quantum state characterization and quantum-accelerated computation, particularly demonstrating unique advantages in quantum-enhanced deep learning and pattern recognition. As Director of CQIST, he has accelerated the translation of quantum technologies into practical AI applications, driving breakthroughs in quantum chemistry simulations and combinatorial optimization problems. These contributions have established him as a visionary pioneer in quantum artificial intelligence.
Prof. Lidar’s accomplishments have earned him wide acclaim in the scientific community. He is a Fellow of the IEEE, the American Physical Society (APS), and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), reflecting the broad impact of his research across engineering, physics, and science. Among his many honors, Lidar received a John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship and an Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship, and he has been inducted as a Senior Member into the National Academy of Inventors for his innovations in quantum technologies. He serves on the editorial boards of leading journals such as Physical Review Letters and Quantum Information Processing, and has published over 260 peer-reviewed articles (with an h-index of 93 on Google Scholar). Lidar also holds several U.S. patents in the area of quantum computing and optimization. He has led large multi-institution research programs funded by agencies like DARPA, IARPA, and the National Science Foundation, including a major federally funded initiative to develop next-generation quantum annealing processors. In addition to his scholarly achievements, Lidar has forged strong partnerships with industry, in particular through the USC-Lockheed Martin Quantum Computing Center and the USC-IBM Quantum center, and has mentored numerous students and junior researchers who have gone on to become leaders in the quantum computing field. His career exemplifies the synergy of theoretical insight, technological innovation, and collaborative leadership that is driving the quantum revolution.