Fred Chong from the Department of Computer Science Named ACM Fellow for Contributions to Quantum Computing
The Department of Computer Science is pleased to announce that Seymour Goodman Professor Fred Chong has been named an ACM Fellow in recognition of his significant contributions to the fields of quantum computer architecture, compilation, and optimization. This distinguished honor highlights Dr. Chong’s role in advancing the development and understanding of quantum computing systems.
“I am greatly honored by this distinction, and am very pleased for the recognition this also gives to the fields of quantum computer architecture and quantum software,” said Chong.
Dr. Chong’s academic background includes a Ph.D. in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1996. He also holds an M.S. in the same fields from MIT, awarded in 1992, and a B.S., earned in 1990. His education at MIT provided a strong foundation for his career in academia and research.
Dr. Chong is widely regarded for his systems approach to quantum computing, which involves co-designing the layers from applications to devices. His early work in quantum architecture advanced scalable communication and control of qubits during a period when such system-scale thinking was less common. His contributions have had a significant impact on both the field of quantum computing and broader computer architecture.
Dr. Chong’s work focuses on physics-aware, full-stack optimizations in quantum computing. He led the Enabling Practical-scale Quantum Computing (EPiQC) project, an NSF Expedition in Computing, which resulted in significant software optimizations such as pulse-level programming and noise-adaptive mapping. These techniques have been adopted at organizations like IBM, Amazon, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
In addition to his research, Dr. Chong has contributed to education through two books on quantum computer systems and the creation of EdX courses that have been used by thousands of students. These efforts have established end-to-end quantum system design as a distinct academic discipline.
Dr. Chong also co-founded Super.tech in 2020, a startup focused on quantum computing, which was later acquired by Infleqtion (formerly ColdQuanta). As Chief Scientist for Quantum Software at Infleqtion, his work on the Superstaq quantum compiler continues to play a critical role across various quantum platforms.
Throughout his career, Dr. Chong has received numerous awards, such as the IEEE Fellow in 2022 and the Intel Outstanding Researcher Award in 2018. He recently received UChicago’s 2024 Quantrell Award for Undergraduate Teaching and Advising, the oldest teaching award in the United States. Chong also received UChicago’s graduate teaching and mentoring award in 2020.
Dr. Chong has held several leadership roles in professional organizations, including serving as a member of the National Quantum Initiative Advisory Committee (which provides advice to the President) and as Program Chair for the 2022 ACM/IEEE International Symposium on Computer Architecture (ISCA, the premier venue for computer architecture research). He is also on the advisory board for ACM Transactions on Quantum Computing.
Dr. Fred Chong’s designation as an ACM Fellow acknowledges his substantial contributions to the field of quantum computing and his role in advancing research and education. The Department of Computer Science extends its congratulations to Dr. Chong on this achievement and looks forward to his continued contributions to the field.
