Michelle Simmons facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Michelle Simmons
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Michelle Simmons at the Royal Society admissions day in London, July 2018
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Michelle Yvonne Simmons
14 July 1967 London, United Kingdom
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| Education | Durham University (PhD) |
| Spouse(s) | Thomas Barlow |
| Children | 1 daughter; 2 sons |
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| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Quantum physics |
| Institutions | University of Cambridge University of New South Wales Sydney Grammar School |
| Thesis | The characterisation of CdTe-based epitaxial solar cell structures fabricated by MOVPE (1992) |
| Doctoral advisor | Andrew W. Brinkman |
Michelle Yvonne Simmons is an Australian quantum physicist who builds computer parts out of single atoms. She is the leader and CEO of a company named Silicon Quantum Computing. Her team works on building super-fast computers for the future. She is also a Scientia Professor of Quantum Physics in the Faculty of Science at the University of New South Wales. In 2018, she won the famous award for Australian of the Year. She was chosen because of her amazing work in quantum information science.
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Who Is Michelle Simmons?
Michelle Simmons is a pioneer in atomic electronics. This means she builds electronics at the scale of tiny atoms. Atoms are the microscopic building blocks of everything in our universe.
Before her work, nobody could reliably place single atoms to build electronic parts. Her laboratory in Sydney became the first place on Earth to make working electronic circuits inside silicon with atomic precision.
Simmons works hard to show that big challenges can be solved with patience and great teamwork. She also encourages young students, especially girls, to follow their dreams in science and technology.
Early Life and School Years
Simmons was born on 14 July 1967 in London. Her mother worked as a bank manager, and her father worked as a policeman. She grew up in South-East London with her older brother.
As a child, Simmons loved figuring out how things work. She enjoyed playing chess with her father and brother. Chess taught her to plan several steps ahead, which helped her later in laboratory experiments.
When she finished school, she went to Trevelyan College at Durham University. There she studied physics and the chemistry of materials between 1985 and 1988. She loved learning about how different materials behave under special conditions.
She stayed at Durham for postgraduate studies at St Aidan's College, Durham. In 1992, she earned her PhD degree after writing a thesis about materials used to build better solar cells.
Building the World of Quantum Computers
After finishing university, Simmons worked as a research fellow at the famous Cavendish Laboratory at the University of Cambridge. While working with Professor Michael Pepper, she studied quantum electronics. She helped discover an electronic behavior called the 0.7 feature and helped develop tiny switches called 'hole' transistors.
In 1999, Simmons won a special research grant from the Australian Research Council. She decided to move to Australia to start a completely new research journey.
Moving to Australia and Atomic Breakthroughs
Simmons joined the University of New South Wales in Sydney. She helped create the ARC Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computer Technology.
Most computers use tiny switches called transistors to process data using electrical currents. In normal computers, these switches are made from millions of atoms. Simmons wanted to see if she could make a switch out of just one atom.
To do this, her team used an amazing tool called scanning tunnelling microscopy. This machine uses a super-sharp needle that can sense and move individual atoms one by one.
Her team worked with atoms of phosphorus placed inside crystals of silicon and germanium. In 2012, her group made history. They created the first working single-atom transistor in the world. They also built the narrowest electrical wires ever made in silicon.
Starting Silicon Quantum Computing
In 2017, Simmons started a company called Silicon Quantum Computing to turn her lab inventions into real-world machines. She became the company's leader as CEO.
Quantum computers work differently from everyday laptops. Everyday computers store information in bits that are either a zero or a one. Quantum computers use quantum bits, or qubits. Qubits can be in a state of both zero and one at the same time. This allows quantum computers to test millions of possibilities at once.
Such powerful machines could help scientists invent new medicines much faster. They could also help design better batteries to store green energy.
Leadership and Sharing Science
Simmons has written more than 450 scientific reports in peer-reviewed journals. Other scientists have referenced her work thousands of times. She has also written book chapters and a book explaining the field of nanotechnology.
In 2015, she helped launch a scientific journal called npj Quantum Information. She served as its very first editor-in-chief to share fresh ideas about quantum information science. She has also registered 44 inventions through official patents.
Simmons often gives talks to the public about science. In 2017, she gave a speech for Australia Day in New South Wales. In 2023, she gave the famous Boyer Lecture radio talks, explaining how atomic research is changing the world.
She has served on many scientific committees, including the Australian Institute of Physics, the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics, and the International Union for Vacuum Science, Technique and Applications. She has also served as a trustee at Sydney Grammar School. In 2025, she joined the board of the Tech Council of Australia to support tech education and jobs.
Major Awards and Honors
Simmons has won many major prizes for her discoveries. Some of her most famous awards include:
- The Pawsey Medal from the Australian Academy of Science in 2005.
- Election as a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science in 2006.
- The Thomas Ranken Lyle Medal in 2015 for her work in physics.
- The Feynman Prize in Nanotechnology in 2015 for building atomic devices.
- The Eureka Prize for Leadership in Science from the CSIRO in 2015.
- The international L'Oréal-UNESCO Awards for Women in Science in 2017.
- The award for Australian of the Year in 2018.
- Election as a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2018.
- Appointment as an Officer of the Order of Australia in the 2019 honours.
- The Prime Minister's Prize for Science in 2023.
- Promotion to Companion of the Order of Australia in the 2026 Australia Day Honours.
Simmons has also been honored by the American Physical Society, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the Royal Society of New South Wales.
Family Life and Inspiring Others
Simmons lives in Sydney with her family. She became an Australian citizen in 2007.
Her husband is Thomas Barlow, an author and business expert who previously worked with the Financial Times, MIT, and Balliol College, Oxford. They have three children together. In her spare time, Simmons loves hiking outdoors, keeping fit, and spending time with her family.
Two of her science heroes are the famous English scientist Michael Faraday and the inventor John Bardeen.
Simmons believes that young people should not let other people tell them what they can achieve. She encourages students to tackle difficult subjects like mathematics and physics. When she speaks to girls interested in technology, she reminds them that they can lead world-changing projects if they work hard and stay curious.
See also
In Spanish: Michelle Simmons para niños
