PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

Fernando G. S. L. Brandão

Also known as Fernando Brandao

Fernando Brandão is a theoretical physicist whose research spans quantum information, entanglement and quantum algorithms. He studied physics in Brazil, earned a doctorate at Imperial College London, and held postdoctoral posts across London, Brazil and Switzerland before faculty work at University College London and research work with Microsoft. He joined Caltech in 2016, coauthored a 2015 paper on quantum thermodynamics, and announced the Ocelot quantum chip with Oskar Painter in 2025. He received the European Quantum Information Young Investigator Award in 2013 and the American Physical Society's Landauer and Bennett Award in 2020; as of October 2026, he is head of quantum algorithms at AWS and Bren Professor of Theoretical Physics at Caltech.

Born
1983
Badges

Years link to their sources.

Timeline

  1. 2004–2008

    Physics degrees and doctorate

    He earns bachelor's and master's degrees in physics in Brazil. His B.Sc. is from Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais in 2004, his M.Sc. is in 2005, and he completes a Ph.D. at Imperial College London in 2008.

  2. 2013

    European Quantum Information award

    In 2013, he receives the European Quantum Information Young Investigator Award from QIPC for work in entanglement theory, quantum complexity theory and quantum many-body physics.

  3. 2015

    Second laws of quantum thermodynamics

    In 2015, he coauthors The Second Laws of Quantum Thermodynamics, which shows that small quantum systems are governed by a family of free-energy constraints.

  4. 2016

    Caltech appointment

    Before Caltech, he completes postdoctoral work across London, Brazil and Switzerland, joins University College London's faculty, and works with Microsoft's research group. In 2016, he joins Caltech as Bren Professor of Theoretical Physics.

  5. 2020

    Landauer and Bennett Award

    In 2020, the American Physical Society names him the Rolf Landauer and Charles H. Bennett Award in Quantum Computing recipient for work in entanglement theory and quantum computation, quantum thermodynamics and quantum many-body physics.

  6. 2021

    AWS quantum computing center

    In October 2021, the AWS Center for Quantum Computing is a two-story Caltech campus facility created through a partnership with Amazon Web Services. He leads quantum algorithms at AWS as the partnership targets applications including machine learning, data security and medicine development.

  7. February 2025

    AWS's Ocelot chip

    In February 2025, he and Oskar Painter announce Ocelot, Amazon's first-generation quantum chip. Their hardware-efficient architecture uses bosonic quantum error correction and is designed to scale.

  8. As of October 2026

    Head of quantum algorithms

    As of October 2026, he is head of quantum algorithms at Amazon Web Services and Bren Professor of Theoretical Physics in Caltech's Division of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy.

Career

  1. Since 2021AmazonHead of quantum algorithms
  2. NowCalifornia Institute of TechnologyBren Professor of Theoretical Physics
  3. Until 2016University College LondonFaculty
  4. Until 2016Microsoft Research

Education

  1. 2008Imperial College LondonPhD
  2. 2005Federal University of Minas GeraisB.Sc., M.Sc.

From the biography.

  1. Google alumni have founded or led 133 other organizations, more than any other AI labIncludes Fernando G. S. L. Brandão. We estimate that alumni of 17 major AI labs went on to found or lead 350 other organizations, including 226 they founded, and we trace 472 career moves directly between 23 labs since 2010.
  2. 23% of people shaping AI who left a university for a company later returned to a universityIncludes Fernando G. S. L. Brandão. We estimate that 468 of the 2,011 people shaping AI who left a university for a company (23%) later returned to a university after a median of 5 years, and 163 of 829 (20%) made the reverse round trip.
  3. Among employers with 30+ full-time cases, OpenAI leads primary technical role H-1B pay at $310,000, and Amazon, Google and Microsoft file 57% of all casesIncludes Amazon. Across 440,669 certified US H-1B filings from 44 employers (FY2020–FY2026), OpenAI leads primary technical role base pay at $310,000 and xAI leads overall base pay at $290,000.
  4. 20% of people at companies who shape AI also hold a university role, led by Google and Stanford UniversityIncludes Amazon. We estimate that 539 of the 6,766 people with a known current organization (8%) hold both a university role and a company role, including 20% of people at companies and 13% of people at universities.

Colleagues

People named in this biography, and people with dated positions at the same organization in the same years.

Sources and credits

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  1. Fernando Brandao - Division of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy pma.caltech.edu. Checked 21 October 2026.
  2. The Power of Entanglement: A Conversation with Fernando Brandão caltech.edu. Checked 21 October 2026.
  3. Caltech Library Feeds feeds.library.caltech.edu. Checked 21 October 2026.
  4. The second laws of quantum thermodynamics arxiv.org. Checked 21 October 2026.
  5. Spring 2020 American Physical Society Prizes and Awards Announced aps.org. Checked 21 October 2026.
  6. Caltech and Amazon Partner to Create New Hub of Quantum Computing caltech.edu. Checked 21 October 2026.
  7. Amazon announces Ocelot quantum chip amazon.science. Checked 21 October 2026.
  8. Fernando Brandao - Quantum qse.caltech.edu. Checked 21 October 2026.