Thomas Werkmeister, Ph.D.

Thomas Werkmeister will be a postdoctoral fellow at Columbia University working with Professors Aravind Devarakonda and Cory Dean. He received his Ph.D. in applied physics from Harvard University, under the mentorship of Professor Philip Kim. Previously, he obtained his B.S. from the University of Pittsburgh.

Werkmeister’s research focuses on creating high-quality electronic devices to enhance our understanding of fundamental physics and ultimately develop new technologies utilizing quantum coherence. This philosophy is evident in his work studying the fractional quantum Hall effect in graphene, where two-dimensional electrons form a long-range pattern of quantum entanglement called topological order. This exotic quantum state supports emergent particles called anyons, whose properties strikingly differ from all particles observed in our three-dimensional universe. Werkmeister’s Ph.D. work using quantum interferometry to directly probe anyons in fractional quantum Hall states as well as in topological superconductors was recognized by the 2024 Boeing Quantum Creators Prize. During his postdoctoral work at Columbia, Werkmeister will explore and manipulate the interface between topological order and superconductivity, combining synthesis of novel low-dimensional materials with direct integration into quantum devices.