We are delighted to announce that Dr John Morton from the department of Materials
at Oxford University is the 2009 recipient of the Nicholas Kurti European Science
Prize. Dr Morton, supported by the Royal Society and St John's College, has
pioneered the application of techniques of magnetic resonance spectroscopy to
combinations of electron and nuclear spins to store quantum information for
extended times and to manipulate it with exquisite precision. He was able to
establish that such systems, including those based on molecular materials, are
viable for a quantum nanotechnology. He is also the founder of quantalk.org,
an open online resource aimed at sharing information and promoting discussions
in quantum information science and technology.
Professor George Pickett of Lancaster University, chairman of the committee
of senior scientists who assess the nominations, commented: “ We decided
to award the prize to Dr Morton not only for the wide range of novel experiments
which he has undertaken but also that he has achieved so much at a very early
stage in his career. “
The Nicholas Kurti European Science Prize, sponsored by Oxford
Instruments, is intended to recognise and promote outstanding achievements
of young scientists in the field of physical sciences research and to support
their career development. It is named after Professor Nicholas Kurti known for
his distinguished work in ultra-low temperature physics at the Clarendon Laboratory,
Oxford University. The prize winner receives a €8000 cash prize, a unique
trophy and certificate. The winner also has the opportunity to present his work
at a conference of his choice.
Previous winners of the prize include Prof. Lieven Vandersypen, Dr. Silvano
De Franceschi, Dr. Andreas Wallraff and Dr. Kostantin Novoselov.