Welcome to QuRIOUS!
QuRIOUS – Quantum Research and Innovation in Optical clocks for Upcoming Scientists is Doctoral Network fundend by the European Commission. Over the next 4 years, QuRIOUS will train 15 PhD researchers in the rapidly advancing field of optical clocks and their applications in science and industry.
Optical clocks, the most precise timekeepers ever built, measure time with an accuracy of up to one part in a quintillion, enabling breakthroughs in navigation, geodesy, telecommunications, and fundamental physics. With the quantum technology market projected to reach €3 billion by 2030, QuRIOUS aims to equip a new generation of experts to lead Europe’s progress in this field. The network, coordinated by the University of Amsterdam, unites 11 leading universities and industry partners—including institutions in Amsterdam, Birmingham, Copenhagen, Toruń, Vienna, Innsbruck, Paris, and Italy’s National Metrology Institute—along with 11 associated partners across Europe. Together, they will provide world-class training at the intersection of quantum science and technology. “Optical clocks are becoming central to many areas of science and industry,” says coordinator Florian Schreck (University of Amsterdam). “QuRIOUS will prepare young scientists to drive the next wave of quantum innovation.” QuRIOUS builds on previous EU-funded initiatives such as MoSaiQC, iqClock, and AQuRA, continuing Europe’s leadership in quantum timekeeping and precision measurement. |
Recent News1-7-2026: Welcome Shreya!
We're very pleased to welcome Shreya to the QuRIOUS team starting July 1, 2026!
Shreya did her bachelor's in Electronics and Communication Engineering in India and then pursued an M.Sc in Photonics at the Abbe School of Photonics, Jena, Germany. Her research so far has been in the field of quantum communication. She has worked on the construction and characterization of polarization based entangled-photon sources and detection modules for deployed Quantum Key Distribution. For her PhD research, Shreya will be developing a stable single-frequency laser system at NKT Photonics that can be used for quantum computing and sensing applications. This laser system will then be characterized and used to perform experiments involving the excitation of optical clock atoms such as Strontium and Ytterbium to their Rydberg states at the NQCP Neutral Atoms group in UCPH. Shreya will join the QuRIOUS network and is based at NKT Photonics as R14-NKT. We are delighted to have Shreya join the QuRIOUS network and look forward to this exciting journey! 11-6-2026: European Commissioner Zaharieva visits UvA and Florian Schreck's labs photo credit: Ljilja Suvajdžić
On 11 June, European Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva visited the UvA Faculty of Science at Amsterdam Science Park, together with Dutch ministers Rianne Letschert (Education, Culture and Science) and Heleen Herbert (Economic Affairs and Climate). Welcomed by Rector Magnificus Peter-Paul Verbeek, Dean of Science Susan te Pas, Executive Board Chair Vinod Subramaniam and Professor Robbert Dijkgraaf, the delegation came to discuss how Europe can remain a frontrunner in quantum technology and AI, and what is needed to develop these technologies responsibly and competitively.
Part of the visit was a tour of the quantum laboratories, including the lab of Professor Florian Schreck. There, the delegation saw experimental setups in which ultracold atoms are used to build quantum computers and ultra‑precise quantum clocks. Operating at temperatures close to absolute zero, these systems allow scientists to control atoms with extreme precision, paving the way for future quantum applications. Schreck stressed that the economic impact of quantum technologies ultimately starts with this fundamental research, and that training students and young researchers in such advanced labs is crucial for Europe to build the expertise and talent needed to turn quantum science into real-world innovations. For the full news item by the University of Amsterdam, click here. 1-6-2026: Welcome Haiwei!
At UvA, he will work on the continuous clock project based on superradiant lasing of ultracold strontium atoms traversing a bow-tie cavity.
Haiwei will join the QuRIOUS network and is based at the University of Amsterdam as R1-UvA. We are delighted to have Haiwei join the QuRIOUS network and look forward to this exciting journey! 1-3-2026: Welcome Lorenzo!
He did his internship and master thesis at the Italian Metrological Institute, INRIM, for 9 months. He worked on the study of entangled states of light generated from within a silicon nitride microring with the goal of developing a compact and highly coherent single- or entangled-photon source for quantum communication purposes.
Lorenzo will join the QuRIOUS network and is based at Menlo Systems in Munich, Germany, as R13-MEN. We are delighted to have Lorenzo join the QuRIOUS network and look forward to this exciting journey! 16-04-2026: Application for position R7-CNRS-LTE is still possible! Last chance to apply for the QuRIOUS position hosted by CNRS-LTE! Find out more about the project here, and please visit the LTE website to apply!
1-4-2026: Welcome Bhagyashri!
Her PhD work focuses on the experimental study of a continuously operating superradiant laser based on ultracold ytterbium atoms coupled to an optical cavity. A key aspect of the project involves the atom transport system, where atoms are transferred from a magneto-optical trap (MOT) into the cavity region and prepared for interaction on the ¹S₀ → ³P₀ optical clock transition. The objective is to achieve efficient atom–cavity coupling enabling continuous coherent emission from the atomic ensemble and to investigate cavity-assisted collective emission as a route toward ultra-stable optical frequency references.
Bhagyashri will join the QuRIOUS network and is based at the FEMTO-ST Institute (CNRS) in Besançon, France as R5-CNRS-FEMTO. We are delighted to have Bhagyashri join the QuRIOUS network and look forward to this exciting journey! |
