Elham Kashefi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Elham Kashefi
Kashefi in 2003
Education	Aboureihan High School
Alma mater	Sharif University of Technology (BSc, MSc) Imperial College London (PhD)
Scientific career
Fields	Quantum cloud Quantum cryptography
Institutions	University of Edinburgh University of Oxford Sorbonne University
Thesis	Complexity Analysis and Semantics for Quantum Computation (2003)
Doctoral advisor	Vlatko Vedral Steffen van Bakel

Elham Kashefi (Persian: الهام کاشفی) is a brilliant computer scientist. She is a Professor of Computer Science at the University of Edinburgh. She also works as a researcher at Sorbonne University in France. Professor Kashefi is famous for her work in quantum computing. She helped invent something called "blind quantum computing." Her research also covers quantum cryptography and making sure quantum computers work correctly.

Early Life and Education

Elham Kashefi grew up in Tehran, Iran. She went to Aboureihan High School there. After high school, she studied applied mathematics at Sharif University of Technology. She earned her first degree in 1996 and her master's degree in 1998.

Later, Kashefi moved to London, England. She studied for her PhD at Imperial College London. She finished her PhD in 2003. Her main supervisors were Vlatko Vedral and Steffen van Bakel.

Career and Quantum Research

After finishing her PhD, Professor Kashefi became a Junior Research Fellow. This was at Christ Church, Oxford, a college at the University of Oxford. There, she studied the basic ideas of quantum computing.

In 2005, she worked at the Institute for Quantum Computing. Then, she became a visiting scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). At MIT, she looked at how complex and fast quantum computers could be.

In 2007, Kashefi joined the University of Edinburgh as a lecturer. She has since become a full professor there. She also continues her research at Sorbonne University in France.

What is Quantum Computing?

Quantum computing uses the strange rules of quantum physics. It can solve problems that regular computers cannot. Imagine a computer that can be in many states at once. That's a bit like quantum computing.

Blind Quantum Computing

Professor Kashefi is known for inventing "Universal Blind Quantum Computing." This is a very important idea. It means someone can use a quantum computer without revealing their secret information. It's like sending a secret message to a friend. They can read it, but they don't know what the message is about. This helps keep information private and secure.

Quantum Cryptography and Verification

Her research also focuses on quantum cryptography. This is about using quantum physics to make communications super secure. She also works on "verification." This means making sure that quantum technologies, like quantum computers, work exactly as they should. It's like checking if a new invention is safe and reliable.

Quantum Cloud Computing

Professor Kashefi has also helped develop "quantum cloud computing." This is when you can use a quantum computer over the internet. In 2017, she helped start a company called VeriQloud. This company creates software for quantum networks.

She also helped create special groups called "quantum hubs." These include QUantum OXford Imperial College (QuOxIC) and Quantum Information Scotland Network (QUISCO). These hubs bring together scientists to work on quantum science.

In November 2022, Professor Kashefi became the Chief Scientist at the UK National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC). In April 2023, she was also named the director of the NQCC's Quantum Software Lab. This lab is based at the University of Edinburgh.

Awards and Honours

Professor Kashefi has received several important awards. In 2011, she was chosen to be part of the Young Academy of Scotland. This group recognizes talented young people in Scotland.

In 2024, she was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE). This is a very high honor for scientists in Scotland.

Selected Publications

Professor Kashefi has written many important scientific papers. Some of her well-known works include:

• Universal blind quantum computation
• Demonstration of Blind Quantum Computing
• The measurement calculus

See also

In Spanish: Elham Kashefi para niños