Catie LeDesma (PhDPhys’24) wins 2026 Boeing Quantum Creators Prize
Postdoctoral researcher and 鶹ѰBoulder alumna Catie LeDesma is one of this year’s recipients of the prestigious , the Chicago Quantum Exchange announced on Oct. 22.
The national award recognizes early-career researchers for work that moves the field of quantum information science and engineering in new directions and aims to increase diversity in the field.
LeDesma earned her PhD in physics at 鶹ѰBoulder in 2024 and is now a postdoctoral researcher working with Murray Holland in JILA.
Her research focuses on developing programmable atom interferometers, a type of quantum sensing technology, using Bose-Einstein condensates in multidimensional optical lattices.
“By precisely controlling ultracold atoms in these engineered environments, we are creating new ways of manipulating and measuring quantum interference,” says LeDesma.
She explains that the overarching goal is to expand the capabilities and flexibility of atom interferometers and explore how new levels of quantum control can enable novel approaches in precision measurement and quantum sensing.
“It was a pleasure to receive this award,” says LeDesma. “The experiments we are pursuing are technically very challenging, and progress often requires considerable persistence, so it was especially encouraging to see recognition of the science. I am also very grateful to my collaborators and to the supportive research environment at JILA and the Department of Physics that makes this work possible.”
Holland, who also served as LeDesma’s PhD advisor, says he has enjoyed watching her experiment progress from its earliest stages into a remarkably capable and versatile platform.
“Catie has driven much of this progress with exceptional independence, creativity, and experimental skill, opening up exciting possibilities for quantum sensing,” Holland says. “It is particularly gratifying to see both her accomplishments and the potential impact of this work being recognized by the broader community.”
The Boeing Quantum Creators Prize carries a monetary award and LeDesma will be recognized along with the other 11 recipients at the Q2B26 x Chicago Quantum Summit, held Dec. 8–10, 2026.