Shayan Majidy

Shayan (Shay) Majidy

shah-YAHN mah-JEE-dee

I'm a Banting Postdoctoral Fellow at Harvard University, working with Misha Lukin and Michael Gullans. I'm interested in quantum error correction, quantum algorithms, quantum computing architectures, and the thermalization of quantum many-body systems. I completed my PhD at the University of Waterloo as a Vanier Scholar, supervised by Raymond Laflamme and Nicole Yunger Halpern.

During my PhD, I co-wrote the textbook Building Quantum Computers as lead author, published by Cambridge University Press. My PhD work was recognized with top honours from the Science department at Waterloo (WB Pearson Medal), the Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC Achievement Award), and the Perimeter Institute (John Brodie Memorial Award).

Research interests

Quantum error correction

I study how to make fault-tolerant quantum computing practical, from the structure and fundamental limits of quantum codes to low-overhead logical operations and their implementation on real hardware.

Quantum algorithms

I develop quantum algorithms for scientifically relevant problems, with a focus on quantum simulation, many-body physics, and algorithms that can take advantage of emerging fault-tolerant quantum computers.

Quantum computing architectures

I study how hardware, error correction, logical operations, and compilation can be co-designed to build scalable quantum computers, with a particular interest in the capabilities and hidden costs of different architectures.

Quantum thermodynamics

During my PhD, I studied how conservation laws reshape thermodynamics and many-body dynamics. I helped establish noncommuting-charge physics as a distinct research direction, showing that noncommuting conserved quantities can enhance entanglement, suppress non-stationary dynamics, and generate critical phases in monitored quantum circuits. I co-authored a Perspective on this emerging field in Nature Reviews Physics.

Education & academic positions

  1. 2024–2026

    Postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard

    Faculty Advisors:
    Misha Lukin, Joshua and Beth Friedman University Professor
    Michael Gullans, NIST Physicist & QuICS Fellow
    Funding:
    Banting Fellowship, 2024–2026
  2. 2019–2024

    Ph.D. in Physics, University of Waterloo

    Faculty Advisors:
    Raymond Laflamme, late Mike and Ophelia Lazaridis “John von Neumann” Chair in Quantum Information
    Nicole Yunger Halpern, NIST Physicist & QuICS Fellow
    Funding:
    Vanier Scholarship, 2021–2024
  3. 2018–2019

    M.Sc. in Physics, University of Waterloo

    Faculty Advisors:
    Raymond Laflamme, late Mike and Ophelia Lazaridis “John von Neumann” Chair in Quantum Information
  4. 2011–2015

    B.Sc. in Theoretical Physics, University of Guelph

Selected publications

See Google Scholar for a full list including preprints.

Textbook

Building Quantum Computers:
A Practical Introduction.

S. Majidy, C. Wilson, and R. Laflamme

Cambridge University Press (2024).

Building Quantum Computers book cover

Journal articles

  1. A fault-tolerant neutral-atom architecture for universal quantum computation.

    D. Bluvstein, A. Geim, ..., S. Majidy, ..., and M.D. Lukin

    Nature 649, 39–46 (2026).

  2. Scalable and fault-tolerant preparation of encoded k-uniform states.

    S. Majidy, D. Hangleiter, and M. Gullans

    Phys. Rev. A 112, 042409 (2025).

  3. Noncommuting charges can remove non-stationary quantum many-body dynamics.

    S. Majidy

    Nat. Comm. 15, 8246 (2024).

  4. Noncommuting conserved charges in quantum thermodynamics and beyond.

    S. Majidy, W.F. Braasch Jr., A. Lasek, T. Upadhyaya, A. Kalev, and N. Yunger Halpern

    Nat. Rev. Phys. 5, 689–698 (2023).

  5. Critical phase and spin sharpening in SU(2)-symmetric monitored quantum circuits.

    S. Majidy, U. Agrawal, S. Gopalakrishnan, A. Potter, R. Vasseur, and N. Yunger Halpern

    Phys. Rev. B 108, 054307 (2023).

  6. A unification of the coding theory and OAQEC perspective on hybrid codes.

    S. Majidy

    Int. J. Theor. Phys. 62.8: 177 (2023).

  7. Non-Abelian symmetry can increase entanglement entropy.

    S. Majidy, A. Lasek, D.A. Huse, and N. Yunger Halpern

    Phys. Rev. B 107, 045102 (2023).

  8. How to build Hamiltonians that transport noncommuting charges in quantum thermodynamics.

    N. Yunger Halpern and S. Majidy

    npj Quantum Information 8, 10 (2022).

  9. Detecting violations of macrorealism when the original Leggett-Garg inequalities are satisfied.

    S. Majidy, J.J. Halliwell, and R. Laflamme

    Phys. Rev. A 103, 062212 (2021).

  10. Exploration of an augmented set of Leggett-Garg inequalities using a noninvasive continuous-in-time velocity measurement.

    S. Majidy, H. Katiyar, G. Anikeeva, J. Halliwell, and R. Laflamme

    Phys. Rev. A 100, 042325 (2019).

Preprints

  1. Entangling logical qubits without physical operations.

    J.M. Koh, A. Gong, ..., M.D. Lukin, and S. Majidy

    arXiv:2601.20927 (2026).

  2. Thermodynamic limitations on fault-tolerant quantum computing.

    M. Bilokur, S. Gopalakrishnan, and S. Majidy

    arXiv:2411.12805 (2024).

  3. Addressing misconceptions in university physics: A review and experiences from quantum physics educators.

    S. Majidy

    arXiv:2405.20923 (2025).