PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

Daniel A. Lidar

Also known as Daniel Amihud Lidar

At the University of Southern California, Daniel Lidar is a professor whose quantum computing research includes machine learning, and he directs two USC quantum centers.He earned a doctorate in theoretical physics in Jerusalem in 1997, then worked at Berkeley and Toronto before moving to USC in 2005. In 2012, he and Kristen Pudenz presented anomaly detection and machine learning with adiabatic quantum computing at the APS March Meeting. A 2017 Guggenheim Fellowship supported his research project on how operational changes might give new quantum computers speed. He co-founded Quantum Elements in 2023, and its AI-native quantum development platform emerged from stealth in October 2025.

Timeline

  1. 1997–2000

    Decoherence-free subspaces

    He receives a doctorate in theoretical physics from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 1997 and works as a postdoctoral fellow at UC Berkeley until 2000. With I.L. Chuang and K.B. Whaley, he writes a paper on decoherence-free subspaces for quantum computation.

  2. 2000–2005

    Faculty at Toronto and USC

    He joins the University of Toronto in 2000 as an assistant professor of theoretical chemistry. In 2005 he moves to the University of Southern California.

  3. 2012

    Adiabatic quantum anomaly detection

    He and Kristen Pudenz present anomaly detection and machine learning with adiabatic quantum computing at the 2012 APS March Meeting.

  4. 2017

    A Guggenheim Fellowship

    A 2017 Guggenheim Fellowship supports a research project exploring how operational changes might give a new generation of quantum computers speed or other advantages.

  5. 2023

    Co-founding Quantum Elements

    He co-founds Quantum Elements in 2023, a Los Angeles start-up that produces software for quantum computing.

  6. March 2024

    A USC-IBM Quantum Innovation Center

    In March 2024 USC announces an IBM Quantum Innovation Center, and Lidar is named to direct it.

  7. October 2025

    An AI-native quantum platform

    In October 2025 Quantum Elements emerges from stealth with an AI-native quantum development platform.

  8. As of October 2026

    Viterbi professor and center director

    At USC, he holds the Viterbi Professorship in Engineering and directs the USC Center for Quantum Information Science & Technology and the USC-IBM Quantum Innovation Center.

Sources and credits

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  1. Daniel Lidar - USC Dornsife dornsife.usc.edu. Checked 14 October 2026.
  2. [quant-ph/9807004] Decoherence Free Subspaces for Quantum Computation arxiv.org. Checked 14 October 2026.
  3. Daniel Lidar - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org. Checked 14 October 2026.
  4. Adiabatic Quantum Anomaly Detection and Machine Learning - APS March Meeting 2012 PostDeadline meetings-archive.aps.org. Checked 14 October 2026.
  5. Adiabatic Quantum Anomaly Detection and Machine Learning - APS March Meeting 2012 PostDeadline meetings.aps.org. Checked 14 October 2026.
  6. Three USC professors honored as 2017 Guggenheim Fellows - USC Today today.usc.edu. Checked 14 October 2026.
  7. Like the Piano Tuners of Quantum Computers - USC Stevens Center for Innovation stevens.usc.edu. Checked 14 October 2026.
  8. Quantum Elements Launches AI-native Platform for Quantum Software and Hardware Development thequantuminsider.com. Checked 14 October 2026.
  9. IBM agreement boosts USC’s quantum computing leadership today.usc.edu. Checked 14 October 2026.
  10. USC - Viterbi School of Engineering - Viterbi Faculty Directory viterbi.usc.edu. Checked 14 October 2026.