23-06-2025
University of Waterloo mourns passing of pioneer, Raymond Laflamme
Raymond Laflamme presents a gift to his former PhD supervisor Stephen Hawking during a visit to the IQC. (Courtesy: University of Waterloo)
A man hailed as a trailblazer in the world of quantum information processing has died after a lengthy battle with cancer.
The University of Waterloo announced the passing of Raymond Laflamme in a news release on Monday.
Laflamme was originally from Québec City and studied Physics at Université Laval. He eventually moved to England, where he earned his PhD at Cambridge University under the guidance of the renown physicist Stephen Hawking.
In 2001, Laflamme joined the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Waterloo and the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics. He also became a founding executive director of the Institute for Quantum Computing (ICQ).
His work, using linear optics to approach quantum information processing, became one of the most referenced works in quantum computing.
Laflamme was an Officer of the Order of Canada, received a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and was a Canada Research Chair among his many achievements, accolades and recognitions.
'Laflamme had an adventurous spirit and a light-hearted sense of humour. His curiosity about the world never dimmed. When he was diagnosed with lung cancer, he turned something tragic into a new research avenue. He started a project with researchers at Grand River Hospital in Kitchener to investigate quantum technologies for cancer research and treatment,' the university's release read.
'The IQC, Science and Waterloo community has lost a leader, teacher, mentor and friend. We offer our deepest condolences to Laflamme's family.'
