2019 Pivoting Fellow

Araceli Venegas-Gomez

QURECA, United Kingdom

“After I received the Pivoting Fellowship, I started QURECA, an organization with a mission to develop the quantum workforce focused on training recruitment and business services to prepare individuals and businesses for the coming second quantum revolution. We deliver key resources and education to individuals and companies around the world to make then quantum ready. Some of our free publications have been used thousands of times worldwide.

Our free career advice services provide enormous support to job seekers and students, making a clear difference in their lives helping them find the best job opportunities, focusing on what they do best and what they enjoy doing.

Currently, we are involved in multiple quantum initiatives such as UKQuantum and the European QuiC and QTEdu networks. I’m also a spokesperson and part of organizations such as Women in Quantum and the Global Future Council on Quantum Computing from the World Economic Forum.

Some opportunities I see are people adopting quantum technology terms correctly into their vocabulary. There are more “newcomers” into quantum every year, bringing us the opportunity to offer awareness education, consulting, and recruitment services to companies.

As a challenge, there is ¨risk¨ of the inflation of quantum hype, which could scare away some potential customers. It can’t solve every problem everywhere, tomorrow, but over the next 20 years, many concepts and quantum developments will move into the mainstream. The Pivoting Fellowship has helped me work at the frontier of that movement.”

Araceli received the Pivoting Fellowship in 2019 for her plans to explore the current state of quantum physics research and the potential emerging technologies, and share her findings with the general public.

The Milton and Rosalind Chang Pivoting Fellowship provides US$50,000 of unrestricted funding to talented, early-career optical scientists and engineers who believe their expertise can improve society outside of the lab. We encourage those with vision and exceptional talent to apply and pursue a newfound passion. Learn more and how to apply at optica.org/pivoting.

Updated 7 September 2022