Raye Penber — Quantum Scientist | AI Researcher | Technologist
🌌 Quantum Weirdness: Friend or Foe?
Harnessing the strangeness of quantum mechanics to build the future of technology.
👨🔬 About Me
Hey! I’m Raye Penber, a physicist and quantum computing researcher focused on applying the abstract beauty of quantum mechanics to real-world problems. My work blends quantum algorithms with artificial intelligence, aiming to bridge theory and application — from secure communication to drug discovery to finance optimization.
I’m currently part of the incredible team at IBM Quantum, where I help design quantum machine learning systems and push the boundaries of what today’s quantum hardware can do. I’ve studied at MIT, Oxford, and Stanford, and I’m passionate about making quantum technology accessible, understandable, and impactful.
🧠 Skills
- Quantum Computing: Quantum Algorithms (Shor’s, Grover’s), Quantum Machine Learning, Quantum Error Correction, Quantum Information Theory, Entanglement & Superposition Principles.
- AI & Machine Learning: Deep Learning, Neural Networks, Reinforcement Learning, Natural Language Processing (NLP), Computer Vision.
- Programming & Software: Python, C++, Qiskit, PennyLane, Cirq, TensorFlow, PyTorch, Scikit-learn.
- Mathematics: Linear Algebra, Probability & Statistics, Complex Analysis, Differential Equations.
🧠 Quotes I Live By
“If you think you understand quantum mechanics, you don’t understand quantum mechanics.”
— Richard Feynman
“The universe is not only stranger than we imagine, it is stranger than we can imagine.”
— J.B.S. Haldane
🌐 Let’s Connect
- LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/quantagates
- Twitter: @quantumgate369
- GitHub: github.com/quantagate
⚙️ Tech Stack
| Category | Technologies |
|---|---|
| Quantum Frameworks | Qiskit, PennyLane, Cirq, D-Wave Ocean, Microsoft QDK |
| AI/ML Libraries | TensorFlow, PyTorch, Keras, Scikit-learn, Hugging Face Transformers, NLTK |
| Programming | Python, C++, MATLAB |
| Cloud & Platforms | IBM Quantum, AWS Braket, Azure Quantum, Google Cloud, Docker |
| Databases | SQL, MongoDB |
| Tools | Git, Jupyter, Linux, LaTeX |
🎓 Education
Ph.D. in Quantum Information Science
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Sept 2019 – May 2024
Thesis: Developing Noise-Resilient Quantum Machine Learning Algorithms for Near-Term Devices.M.Sc. in Physics and Theoretical Physics
University of Oxford
Oct 2017 – Sept 2018
Focus: Quantum Field Theory and Condensed Matter Physics.B.S. in Computer Science
Stanford University
Sept 2013 – June 2017
Specialization: Artificial Intelligence.
💼 Work Experience
Quantum Research Scientist — IBM Quantum
June 2024 – Present
- Developing quantum machine learning algorithms for NISQ hardware
- Contributing to Qiskit’s machine learning modules
- Collaborating with industry teams to apply quantum solutions to finance, materials science, and health care
📜 Certificates & Degrees
- IBM Certified Associate Developer - Qiskit v0.2X – IBM
- Professional Certificate in Quantum Computing – MIT xPRO
- Quantum Machine Learning – University of Toronto (Coursera)
- Quantum Internet and Quantum Computers – TU Delft (edX)
- Qiskit Global Summer School 2023 – IBM Quantum
- Quantum Computing for Everyone – University of Chicago (Coursera)
- The Physics of Silicon: Quantum Computing 2 – Purdue University (edX)
🧪 Projects
Quantum Variational Classifier for Drug Discovery
Hybrid quantum-classical VQE model using Qiskit and PyTorch for predicting molecular binding affinities.Noise-Resistant Entanglement Distribution Protocol
Designed and simulated a robust entanglement swapping method using error mitigation on Qiskit Aer simulators.Quantum Natural Language Processing (QNLP)
Implemented a sentence classification model using the DisCoCat framework and PennyLane.Financial Portfolio Optimization with Quantum Annealing
QUBO-based portfolio optimization executed on D-Wave’s quantum annealer.Educational Quantum Circuit Simulator
Built a minimal, Python-based simulator to visualize basic quantum gates, entanglement, and measurement.
📘 Courses
- MIT 8.05x: Quantum Mechanics – A First Course – edX
- CS269Q: Quantum Computer Programming – Stanford University
- Ph/CS 219: Quantum Computation – Caltech
- Qiskit Summer School 2023: Quantum Simulations – IBM Quantum
- Introduction to Modern Physics – University of Rochester (Coursera)
Curious about quantum weirdness? Let’s make it your advantage — not your enemy.
— Raye Penber