Overview
Huanqian (Hazel) Loh is an Assistant Professor at both the ECE and Physics departments. She leads a team that builds defect-free neutral atom arrays using reconfigurable optical tweezers for quantum simulation, quantum computation, and quantum sensing. Her recent interests include far-from-equilibrium quantum dynamics, Hilbert space fragmentation, and engineering robust quantum systems.
As a Principal Investigator, Huanqian has been recognized as a L'Oreal-UNESCO For Women In Science International Rising Talent and has served on the World Economic Forum Global Future Council on Quantum Computing. In July 2024, Huanqian moved her team from the National University of Singapore to join the Duke Quantum Center.
As a Principal Investigator, Huanqian has been recognized as a L'Oreal-UNESCO For Women In Science International Rising Talent and has served on the World Economic Forum Global Future Council on Quantum Computing. In July 2024, Huanqian moved her team from the National University of Singapore to join the Duke Quantum Center.
Current Duke Appointments & Affiliations
Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
·
2024 - Present
Pierre R. Lamond Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering,
Pratt School of Engineering
Assistant Professor of Physics
·
2024 - Present
Physics,
Trinity College of Arts & Sciences
Member of the Duke Quantum Center
·
2024 - Present
Duke Quantum Center,
Pratt School of Engineering
Recent Scholarly Works
Statistical localization of U(1) lattice gauge theory in a Rydberg simulator
Journal article Nature Physics · March 1, 2026 Lattice gauge theories provide a framework for describing dynamical systems ranging from nuclei to materials. When they host concatenated conservation laws, their Hilbert space can fragment into subspaces labelled by non-local quantities—a phenomenon known ... Full text CiteStatistical Localization in a Rydberg Simulator of $U(1)$ Lattice Gauge Theory
Preprint · May 23, 2025 Link to item CiteObservation of Quantum Thermalization Restricted to Hilbert Space Fragments and Z_{2k} Scars
Journal article Physical Review X · February 18, 2025 Quantum thermalization occurs in a broad class of systems from elementary particles to complex materials. Out-of-equilibrium quantum systems have long been understood to either thermalize or retain memory of their initial states, but not both. Here, we ach ... Full text CiteRecent Grants
Quantum Systems Accelerator
ResearchInvestigator · Awarded by Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory · 2026 - 2030Simulating Quantum Many-Body Dynamics with Scalable and Programmable Neutral Atom Arrays
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Alfred P. Sloan Foundation · 2025 - 2027STIR: Exploring Dynamics in Rydberg Atom Arrays with Tunable Degrees of Hilbert Space Fragmentation
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Army Research Office · 2026 - 2026View All Grants
Education
University of Colorado, Boulder ·
2013
Ph.D.