The university’s Merton College writes on its website that Ekert’s work “has transformed the field of quantum information science from a niche academic activity into a vibrant interdisciplinary field of industrial relevance.”
In his comment, Ekert wrote: "Unearthing the connections between cryptography and the foundations of quantum theory has been a captivating journey and it is very gratifying to have my work recognised. Quantum theory has undeniably unlocked numerous novel ways to understand and harness nature, including information, and I am excited to see what developments unfold over the near future.”
The award is named in honour of Prof. Robin Milner (1934-2010), a pioneer in computer science.
Born in Wrocław, southwestern Poland, in 1961, Ekert studied physics at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków and at the University of Oxford.
He is currently a professor of quantum physics at Oxford University.
(mk/gs)
