The Center for Quantum Leaps (CQL) has welcomed a new co-director, marking a leadership transition as the center enters its next phase.
Chuanwei Zhang, the Wayman Crow Professor of Physics, has joined David W. Piston as CQL co-director, succeeding Kater Murch, a CQL co-founder, who has accepted a professorship at the University of California, Berkeley.
Recruited to WashU in 2024 as part of a quantum science cluster hire, Zhang has quickly emerged as a collaborative force across the academic community.
“Since he arrived at WashU, Chuanwei has been a ball of energy, creating collaborative teams to tackle new projects, and it will be great to incorporate that into CQL,” said Piston, the Edward J. Mallinckrodt, Jr. Professor and Head of Cell Biology & Physiology in the Medical School. “This change in leadership is fortunately well-timed as we transition CQL from a start-up to a mature center that continually nurtures new avenues in quantum research.”
The transition also marks the close of a formative chapter for the center. “Kater drove the creation of CQL, and it was fun to be part of that ride,” Piston said. “He has a broad appreciation of all things quantum, and I was always impressed by his detailed knowledge of every aspect of ongoing WashU research projects. While we will miss our daily interactions with him, we will continue to collaborate with him in our work.”
Before joining WashU, Zhang served as a professor of physics at the University of Texas at Dallas, where he played a key role in expanding the university’s quantum science program. That experience now shapes his vision for CQL.
“As I step into this role, one key lesson is the importance of building deep, sustained partnerships, both across disciplines within the university and with leading institutions nationwide,” Zhang said. “Our goal is to position CQL not as an isolated center, but as an integral part of the national quantum landscape, with strong ties to peer universities, federal agencies, national laboratories, and industry.”
A signature initiative of the Arts & Sciences Strategic Plan, CQL supports collaborative quantum research, hosts conferences, and has brought two advanced quantum diamond microscopes to WashU to accelerate discoveries. Zhang says that the group is now poised to expand its reach.
“We aim to significantly increase engagement with industry through new initiatives, including a quantum industry colloquium series designed to build partnerships with quantum companies and venture capital organizations,” Zhang said. “These efforts will foster direct dialogue, collaboration, and workforce development that benefits both students and faculty.”
