PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

Cheng-Zhi Peng

Also known as C.-Z. Peng, C.Z. Peng, Peng Chengzhi

Cheng-Zhi Peng is a quantum physicist whose AI work includes coauthoring an experimental quantum generative adversarial network that generated handwritten-digit images. Born in Hunan, he earned an applied-physics bachelor's degree and a PhD at USTC, then joined Tsinghua before becoming a professor at USTC's National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale in 2009. He was appointed chief designer of the Mozi satellite's science-application system in 2011 and coauthored a 2017 study that distributed entanglement between locations 1,203 km apart. He became QuantumCTek's chief scientist in 2023, was elected to the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2025, and is a professor at USTC as of October 2026.

Works
250
Citations
20,823
h-index
62
Badges

Publication numbers from OpenAlex, as of 22 October 2026.

Timeline

  1. 1976–2005

    Hunan birth and USTC degrees

    He is born in Hunan in October 1976. He earns a bachelor's degree in applied physics at USTC in 1998 and a PhD there in 2005.

  2. 2007–2011

    Tsinghua, USTC and Mozi

    After two years as a postdoctoral fellow, he joins Tsinghua as an assistant professor in 2007 and becomes a professor at USTC's National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale in 2009. In 2011, he is appointed chief designer of the “Mozi” satellite's science-application system and vice-chief designer of its satellite system.

  3. 2012

    100-kilometre teleportation and entanglement

    In 2012, his paper on free-space quantum teleportation and entanglement distribution across 100 km is selected as a Nature Feature of the Year.

  4. 2015

    A National Natural Science Award

    In 2015, he wins the National Natural Science Award First Prize as second completer.

  5. 2016–2017

    Satellite entanglement over 1,203 km

    The Mozi quantum satellite launches in August 2016. In 2017, he coauthors a report of satellite-based entanglement distribution between ground locations 1,203 km apart.

  6. 2021–2023

    Quantum GAN and QuantumCTek role

    In 2021, he coauthors an experimental quantum GAN that generates handwritten-digit images on a superconducting quantum processor. In July 2023, he resigns as QuantumCTek's chairman and becomes its chief scientist.

  7. 2025

    Election to the Chinese Academy

    He is elected to the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2025.

  8. As of October 2026

    Professor at USTC

    As of October 2026, he is a professor (research) at the University of Science and Technology of China.

Career

  1. Since 2009University of Science and Technology of ChinaProfessor (research)
  2. 2023QuantumCTekChairman, Chief Scientist
  3. 2020–2026Shanghai Research Center for Quantum Sciences
  4. 2017–2023University of Sheffield
  5. 2016–2024Chinese Academy of Sciences
  6. 2007–2009Tsinghua UniversityAssistant Professor

Education

  1. 2005University of Science and Technology of ChinaPhD
  2. 1998University of Science and Technology of ChinaBachelor's degree in applied physics

From the biography and OpenAlex affiliations (the years of papers that list the organization), so some years are approximate.

  1. 84% of people shaping AI with recorded undergraduate and doctoral schools changed institutions for their doctorateIncludes Cheng-Zhi Peng. 84% of people shaping AI with recorded undergraduate and doctoral schools changed institutions for their doctorate. Across 2,116 people with both an undergraduate degree and a doctorate recorded, we trace which undergraduate schools feed which doctoral programs, how often students stay at the same school, and how paths differ by birth-country region.
  2. 11% of AI doctorate holders from 2010 to 2016 founded or led a company or lab by 10 years after graduationIncludes Cheng-Zhi Peng. We estimate how often AI doctorate holders founded or led a company or lab by 10 years after graduation, how waiting times compare between founders and top jobs, and which universities trained the most.
  3. 44% of AI career moves go from one university to anotherIncludes University of Science and Technology of China. We estimate how 26,439 AI career moves link universities, companies, labs, nonprofits and government research centers, with decade counts, net flows and the top paths.
  4. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology trained or employed 44 of the 187 AI major-prize winners, more than any other universityIncludes University of Science and Technology of China. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology trained or employed 44 of the 187 AI major-prize winners, more than any other university. We compare doctorate and 5+ year employment links, career timing and current workplaces for 187 major-prize and 1,111 best-paper winners.

Colleagues

People with dated positions at the same organization in the same years.

Sources and credits

Photo: We have no published photo of Cheng-Zhi Peng yet. Send us a free-licensed photo.

  1. PENG Chengzhi--TAN KAH KEE SCIENCE AWARD FOUNDATION tsaf.cas.cn. Checked 20 October 2026.
  2. Cheng-Zhi Peng | Division of Quantum Physics and Quantum Information quantum.ustc.edu.cn. Checked 20 October 2026.
  3. Satellite-Based Entanglement Distribution Over 1200 kilometers arxiv.org. Checked 20 October 2026.
  4. Experimental Quantum Generative Adversarial Networks for Image Generation arxiv.org. Checked 20 October 2026.
  5. QuantumCTek Founder Peng Chengzhi Is Elected to Chinese Academy of Sciences www2.yicaiglobal.com. Checked 20 October 2026.
  6. New CAS Academicians Vow to Leverage Research to Drive Economic Development english.cas.cn. Checked 20 October 2026.