Biography
Gilles Brassard obtained a PhD in Computer Science from Cornell University in 1979. He has been a professor at Université de Montréal since that time, and holds the Canada Research Chair in Quantum Information Science since 2001. He is also a member of the Centre de recherches mathématiques (CRM) and the Institut transdisciplinaire d’information quantique (INTRIQ), two strategic clusters funded by the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Nature et technologies (FRQNT).
Since the beginning of his career, Professor Brassard has had a passionate interest in all aspects of quantum computing, a field he largely contributed to creating by combining the principles of quantum mechanics and computer science. He invented quantum cryptography, which allows the secure transmission of data, and quantum teleportation, for which he was predicted to receive the Nobel Prize in Physics. A video produced by Québec Science and the Fonds de recherche du Québec as part of the “Que sont devenues nos découvertes de jadis?” series tells the story of his discovery of quantum teleportation together with Claude Crépeau from McGill University, which was named as one of the 10 discoveries of the year in 1993 by Québec Science.
The recipient of 30 honours and distinctions, including the Prix Marie-Victorin, the Killam Prize, the Gerhard Herzberg Canada Gold Medal for Science and Engineering and the Rank Prize, Gilles Brassard holds three honorary doctorate degrees, is an Officer of the Order of Canada and the Ordre national du Québec, and is a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and the Royal Society of London.
Awards and recognitions
- Prix Urgel-Archambault 1992 - Association francophone pour le savoir (Acfas)
- Prix Marie-Victorin 2000 - Gouvernement du Québec
- Médaille d’or Gerhard-Herzberg 2010 - Conseil de recherches en sciences naturelles et en génie du Canada (CRSNG)
- Bourse Steacie 1992 - Conseil de recherches en sciences naturelles et en génie du Canada (CRSNG)
- Prix Killam (Izaak-Walton-Killam) 2010 - Conseil des arts du Canada
- Bourse Killam 1997 - Conseil des arts du Canada