Thomas Jennewein

Thomas Jennewein is a physicist and professor whose work focuses on quantum communication, quantum photonics, and the development of long-distance quantum networks. He is currently a Professor at Simon Fraser University in Canada and holds the Canada Excellence Research Chair in Global Quantum Internet Systems. He is also a Scientific Fellow at Photonic Inc. and is associated with several international quantum technology initiatives, including QEYNet, Phantom Photonic, and UQDevices.

He completed his PhD in Experimental Physics at the University of Vienna in 2002. His doctoral research focused on quantum communication and quantum teleportation using entangled photons. This work received the Loschmidt Prize from the Austrian Physical-Chemical Society and was selected by the American Physical Society as one of the Top Ten Highlights of 2000 for its contribution to quantum cryptography with entangled photons. Before this, he completed his Master’s degree in Experimental Physics at the University of Innsbruck, where he carried out early experiments on entangled photons over long distances and helped develop one of the first working quantum cryptography systems.

From 2004 to 2009, he worked as a Senior Scientist at the Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, where he specialised in experimental quantum photonics. In 2009, he joined the University of Waterloo as an Associate Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy and as a faculty member of the Institute for Quantum Computing. He remained there until 2025. During this time, he was also affiliated with the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics and was a scholar of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research in the Quantum Information Processing programme.

Dr Jennewein is the Principal Investigator for Canada’s Quantum EncrYption and Science Satellite mission (QEYSSat), working with the Canadian Space Agency and international partners to develop satellite-based quantum communication and quantum key distribution. He is also the Co-Founder of QEYNet and the CEO of Universal Quantum Devices, a company that designs and sells advanced timing instruments for quantum optics research.

Thomas Jennewein is a physicist whose career has focused on the development of quantum communication, quantum photonics, and long-distance quantum networking systems. He was educated in Austria, where his early technical training began at HTL Innsbruck between 1986 and 1991. There he studied electronics and telecommunications, gaining practical experience in electronics hardware design, measurement systems, assembler programming, and network protocols. For his final project he designed and built control circuits for a laser scanning system, which marked the start of his work with advanced optical technologies.

From 1991 to 1997, he studied Experimental Physics at the University of Innsbruck, completing his Master’s degree. During this period he carried out research on entangled photon experiments over distances of up to 500 metres. His work focused on achieving precise time correlations between distant quantum events, reaching sub-nanosecond accuracy. He later converted this experimental system into a working quantum cryptography setup and used it to transmit an image, demonstrating one of the early practical uses of quantum communication.

Between 1999 and 2003 he worked as a Research Assistant at the University of Vienna while completing his PhD in Experimental Physics, which he finished in 2002. His doctoral research involved quantum teleportation of photons, including the teleportation of entangled photons and the verification that their entanglement remained strong enough to violate Bell’s inequality after teleportation. This work was recognised with the Loschmidt Prize from the Austrian Physical-Chemical Society and was selected by the American Physical Society as one of the Top Ten Highlights of 2000 for its contribution to quantum cryptography with entangled photons.

After completing his doctorate, he worked as an engineering consultant at BERATA GmbH from 2003 to 2004, where he contributed to the development and testing of multimedia and communication systems for Audi in Ingolstadt. From 2004 to 2009 he served as a Senior Scientist at the Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Vienna, where his work focused on experimental quantum photonics and the long-distance transmission of entangled photons, particularly through free-space links.

In 2009 he joined the University of Waterloo as an Associate Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy and as a faculty member of the Institute for Quantum Computing. He remained in this role until 2025. During this period he was also an affiliate of the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics and a scholar of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research in the Quantum Information Processing programme. His research during these years concentrated on quantum photonics, quantum optics, satellite-based quantum communication, free-space quantum links, and the fundamental behaviour of quantum systems.

In parallel with his academic work, he founded Universal Quantum Devices in 2013 and has served as its Chief Executive Officer since then. The company designs and manufactures advanced timing instruments used in quantum optics research laboratories. In 2018 he co-founded QEYNet, a company focused on building global quantum communication infrastructure.

A major part of his work has been the leadership of Canada’s Quantum EncrYption and Science Satellite mission, known as QEYSSat. As the Principal Investigator, he works with the Canadian Space Agency, industry partners, and research institutions across Canada and internationally to define mission objectives and develop the required technology. His team completed the Phase-0 study for the mission, laying the foundation for satellite-based quantum communication and space-to-ground quantum key distribution.

In 2023 he was appointed Canada Excellence Research Chair in Global Quantum Internet Systems. Under this role he leads research aimed at building scalable quantum communication systems that connect ground networks, satellite links, and quantum repeater hardware to form the basis of a future global quantum internet. His work integrates photonic interfaces with silicon-based quantum devices, in collaboration with Photonic Inc. and research teams at Simon Fraser University.

In May 2024 he became Professor at Simon Fraser University, where he continues to lead research into quantum networking, satellite quantum communication, and quantum information transfer. His ongoing work supports the development of secure global quantum networks and the next generation of communication infrastructure.

Thomas Jennewein’s vision is to build practical and scalable quantum communication systems that enable secure global information exchange. His goal is to connect ground-based networks with satellite links and quantum repeater hardware to create the foundation of a global quantum internet. He aims to develop technologies that allow reliable distribution of quantum information over long distances under real-world conditions. By integrating photonic systems with solid-state quantum devices, he seeks to support future communication networks that are secure, efficient, and adaptable. His work focuses on ensuring that quantum technologies move from laboratory experiments into operational systems that serve scientific, economic, and national security needs.

Thomas Jennewein has received international recognition for his contributions to quantum communication and quantum photonics. In 2000, his work on quantum cryptography using entangled photons was selected by the American Physical Society as one of the Top Ten Highlights of the year. In 2002, his doctoral research on quantum teleportation was awarded the Loschmidt Prize by the Austrian Physical-Chemical Society. In 2023, he was appointed Canada Excellence Research Chair in Global Quantum Internet Systems, one of Canada’s highest research distinctions, recognising his leadership in building quantum networking technologies and advancing long-distance quantum communication, including satellite-based quantum systems.