Technical Advisory Group

The Technical Advisory Group (TAG) provides impartial expertise and insight to help shape the technical roadmap and delivery programme of the NQCC. With extensive experience of quantum computing technologies and adjacent fields, this group of expert advisors offers an informed and independent view on the current state of progress both at the NQCC and the wider quantum computing ecosystem in the UK and internationally.

Professor Elham Kashefi, Chair

Elham is Professor of Quantum Computing at the School of Informatics, University of Edinburgh, and Directeur de recherche au CNRS at LIP6 Sorbonne Université. She co-founded the fields of quantum cloud computing and quantum computing verification and has pioneered a transdisciplinary interaction of hybrid quantum-classical solutions from theoretical investigation to actual experimental and industrial commercialisation. Elham is seconded 30% of her time from University of Edinburgh to the NQCC in her capacity as Chief Scientist.

Dr Carmen Palacios Berraquero

Carmen is the founder and Chief Executive of Nu Quantum, a leading Quantum Computer Networking company based in Cambridge, UK. She is an award-winning quantum physicist and inventor, author of several high-impact research papers and a book based on her doctoral research.  Prior to founding Nu Quantum, Carmen carried out her physics education and research at the University of Cambridge and Imperial College London. She has been the leader of several pro-equality and LGBTQIA+ visibility groups, initiatives and direct action in STEM and beyond and has been featured in Wired, Forbes, BBC, and Sifted. She serves on the Technical Advisory Board of the UK’s National Quantum Computing Centre and is co-founder and director of UKQuantum, the UK’s quantum industry group.

Mr Jonathan Legh-Smith

Jonathan Legh-Smith is Executive Director for UKQuantum, the association for the UK’s quantum industry. Jonathan is responsible for the strategic direction of the association and representing the interests of UKQuantum members nationally and internationally. Jonathan is also a member of the NQTP Strategic Advisory Board, the NQCC Technical Advisory Group and NPL’s Quantum Metrology Institute Advisory Board.

Dr Leonie Mueck

Leonie is VP of Product at nPlan, a London-based scale-up, which uses AI to forecast construction mega-project outcomes. A quantum chemist by training, she was previously Chief Product Officer at quantum computing scale-up Riverlane. Leonie began her career in scientific publishing, working as physics editor at the journal Nature and building a physical sciences division at Open Access publisher PLOS.

Mandy Birch

Mandy Birch is a global executive engineer with 3 decades of experience in government and quantum computing. She’s known for leading teams (50,000+ people), brokering complex multi-sector partnerships (650+), and her agility between start-ups and large enterprises ($300B+ portfolios with $11B+/year budgets). Mandy holds degrees from the US Air Force Academy, MIT, & the Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy.

Professor Martin Dawson

Martin Dawson FRS is Distinguished Professor and Director of Research at the University of Strathclyde’s Institute of Photonics and the inaugural Head and Scientific Director of the Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics, both organisations being heavily involved in the UK’s National Quantum Technology Programme since the outset. In a 40-year research career, Martin has contributed widely to developments in laser technology, semiconductors and optoelectronics, for a range of applications including sensing, imaging and optical communications.

Professor Simon Benjamin

Simon Benjamin is Professor of Quantum Technologies in the Materials Department at the University of Oxford, and also co-founder/CSO at the company Quantum Motion. At Oxford, he leads a team of 15 staff and students who explore the practical theory needed to enable quantum computing in the presence of noise. In the initial months of the NQCC’s existence, Simon severed as the Deputy Director for Research.

Dr Tobias Lindstrom

Tobias Lindstrom is a principal scientist in the department of quantum technology at the National Physical Laboratory. He is the science area lead for the quantum computing circuits group which works on superconducting circuits and computing, as well as quantum software and modelling. His scientific interests include decoherence mechanisms, scaling up quantum processors and metrology of quantum computers.

Professor Viv Kendon

Viv Kendon is Professor of Quantum Technology at the University of Strathclyde, she has worked on quantum computing for more than twenty years. She leads CCP-QC (Collaborative Computational Project on Quantum Computing) and the ExCALIBUR cross-cutting project on Quantum Enhanced and Verified Exascale Computing.  She has also served on two EPSRC Strategic Advisory Teams (ICT and e-Infrastructure).

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