Cory Aitchison

Gates Cambridge Scholar | Quantum Information PhD Candidate

United Kingdom

About

Undertaking a PhD in Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics (Quantum Information) at Clare Hall, Cambridge since October 2023 as a Gates Cambridge Scholar. I'm always fascinated by learning and discovering new things: whether that's a local-secret restaurant, another interesting (but completely novel) programming language, or just a fun card game to try out with my friends. When I'm not on the lookout for my next interest, I also enjoy activities such as photography, hiking, and practising my German.

Experience

  • Academic Tutor at University of Cambridge
    Oct 2023 - Present · 2 yrs 10 mos

    Working as a university supervisor and tutor for undergraduate and masters-level ("Part II and III") mathematics and physics courses.

  • Academic Tutor at Project Academy
    Jan 2019 - Sep 2023 · 4 yrs 9 mos

    Focussing on Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics, I help HSC students achieve their potential through personal tutoring, class-based teaching, and resource creation.

  • University of Sydney (1 yr 8 mos)
    • Research Assistant
      Feb 2023 - Aug 2023 · 7 mos

      Quantum Information research assistant in the quantum theory research group at USYD - working on topological quantum error correcting codes.

    • Tutor
      Feb 2022 - Jun 2023 · 1 yr 5 mos

      Lead tutor for first- and second-year data science courses, as well as third-year advanced physics courses, at the University of Sydney

    • Quantum Physics Honours Student
      Jan 2022 - Dec 2022 · 1 yr

      Honours student in the quantum theory research group at the University of Sydney. My Honours project - supervised by Prof. Andrew Doherty and co-supervisor Dr Dominic Williamson from the quantum theory group - is looking at quantum codes. Quantum computers have opened up a wide range of fascinating research areas in recent decades, from theoretical algorithm designs to the actual implementations of hardware. One open area of research is to do with the fragility of quantum information. Quantum bits are extremely susceptible to noise, and "quantum codes" are a ubiquitous approach to protect these systems, so that they can be used for storage and computation. In my project, I hope to examine the effect of defects and boundaries in three dimensional topological codes. This approach, over the more well-explored two dimensional surface codes, has potential advantages such as operating on more realistic system layouts.

  • University of Sydney (10 mos)
    • Data Science Demonstrator
      Feb 2021 - Nov 2021 · 10 mos

      Run computer labs and monitor forums for students from first year and second year data science courses (course codes: DATA1001, DATA1901, DATA2902)

    • Quantum Computing Research Student
      Jun 2021 - Aug 2021 · 3 mos

      Recipient of the Engineering Vacation Research Internship Scholarship for Winter 2021. I was a winter research intern with the Faculty of Engineering, working to implement and test Quantum Fourier Transform algorithms on IBM Quantum computers

  • Undergraduate Student Researcher at UNSW
    Jan 2021 - Feb 2021 · 2 mos

    Recipient of the Sydney Quantum Academy Undergraduate Research Scholarship (Summer 2020-2021). Investigated the creation, testing, and manipulation of semiconductor hole-spin qubits at millikelvin temperatures.