Jun Ye

Jun Ye named 2026 Wolf Prize laureate in Physics

Kirsten Apodaca — Fri, 02 Oct 2026 22:57:23 +0000

Jun Ye named 2026 Wolf Prize laureate in Physics Kirsten Apodaca Fri, 10/02/2026 - 16:57

Kirsten Apodaca

Jun Ye, fellow of NIST and JILA and Monroe Endowed Professor of Physics at the �Ǹ�Թ�, has won the 2026 Wolf Prize in Physics along with Immanuel Bloch (Max Planck Institute), the Wolf Foundation announced on October 1.

Ye and Bloch were selected for “transformative, widely applicable advances in the control of ultracold atomic systems,” the award citation reads.

Ye has led the development of the world’s most accurate and stable atomic clocks, timekeepers so precise they neither gain nor lose a second over billions of years. His work has revolutionized precision timekeeping, redefining international standards for time and frequency measurement.

“Working with lasers and atoms to create precisely controlled quantum systems opens opportunities for many scientific and technological applications,” said Ye. “Building the next generation of atomic clocks is a compelling example of this scientific confluence.”

The Wolf Prize is awarded annually and acknowledges scientists and artists worldwide for their outstanding achievements in advancing science and the arts for the betterment of humanity, according to the foundation’s website. Awards in the sciences are presented in medicine, agriculture, mathematics, chemistry and physics.

Now in its 47^th year, the Wolf Prize has been awarded to 391 scientists and artists to date, with a monetary award of $100,000.

“I am greatly honored and humbled by the recognition from the Wolf Prize,” said Ye. “Pursuing scientific research at the cutting edge requires great teamwork over many years.”

Ye highlighted the strong collaborative environment among JILA, the Department of Physics, CU �Ǹ�Թ� and NIST. “I am very fortunate to have worked with so many brilliant scientists, from my mentors and close colleagues to the world’s best students and postdocs in the lab,” he said. “Receiving this award really means sharing this recognition with all of our lab members and the supporting staff in our institution.”

“At JILA we are thrilled that Jun has been awarded the prize. This award is a milestone in a remarkable career that continues to inspire the next generation of scientists,” said Andreas Becker, distinguished professor of physics and chair of JILA. “With his visionary work he continuously pushes the boundaries of quantum science.”

Clocks provide practical and useful services such as navigation and communication. But as they become more precise, they can also be used to test the fundamental laws of nature and explore new frontiers of knowledge. “More than just telling the time, clocks become the next generation of telescopes and microscopes, allowing us to peek farther and deeper into the unknown,” said Ye.

Recently, Ye’s group collaborated with scientists at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and several other institutions on a proposal to install highly stable, ultra-precise lasers on the moon. The system could provide a navigational signal for future lunar missions and may even detect ripples in space-time.

“Jun’s work exemplifies the kind of fundamental research that expands our understanding of the universe while opening possibilities we couldn't imagine when the work began,” said Massimo Ruzzene, senior vice chancellor for research and innovation and dean of the institutes at CU �Ǹ�Թ�. “The extraordinary impact of his research reflects the ambition and excellence that define research at CU �Ǹ�Թ�, drawing exceptional researchers and students here to work alongside the very best, push the boundaries of their fields and pursue discoveries with the potential to shape our world.”

Kurt Vogel, Jan Hall, Jun Ye, and Scott Davis at the CU Physics PhD Centenary Celebration.

Ye completed his PhD in physics at CU �Ǹ�Թ� in 1997 as the last graduate student of John Hall, who later won the 2005 Nobel Prize in Physics.

“Jun’s journey from being a grad student in our department to receiving one of the highest honors in physics is especially meaningful to us,” said Tobin Munsat, professor and chair of physics.

Following a Millikan Postdoctoral Fellowship under the mentorship of Jeff Kimble at the California Institute of Technology, Ye returned to �Ǹ�Թ� in 1999 to establish his research program working with NIST, JILA and the Department of Physics.

Ye is a member of national societies including the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Sciences. He is a fellow of Optica and the American Physical Society. In 2024, Ye was appointed the inaugural recipient of the Monroe Endowed Professorship by the Department of Physics.

Among Ye’s honors are the Berthold Leibinger Future Prize, the 2022 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics, the Niels Bohr Institute Medal of Honor, five Gold Medals from the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Micius Quantum Prize, the N.F. Ramsey Prize, the I.I. Rabi Prize and Award, and the Distinguished U.S. Presidential Rank Award.

Ye is the fourth physicist affiliated with CU �Ǹ�Թ� to receive the Wolf Prize. Previous recipients include alumnus Theodore Maiman (EngrPhys’49), awarded in 1984; Peter Zoller, adjoint fellow of JILA and previously a professor of physics, who received the prize in 2013; and Richard Zare, adjoint fellow of JILA and previously a professor of physics and chemistry, who was awarded the chemistry prize in 2005.

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Professor and JILA Fellow Jun Ye awarded AB Nexus grant for Anschutz-�Ǹ�Թ� collaboration

Kirsten Apodaca — Wed, 27 Aug 2025 23:18:26 +0000

Professor and JILA Fellow Jun Ye awarded AB Nexus grant for Anschutz-�Ǹ�Թ� collaboration Kirsten Apodaca Wed, 08/27/2025 - 17:18

Jun Ye and collaborator Lilliam Ambroggio (CU Anschutz) have been awarded a 2025 AB Nexus seed grant for their project "Using Quantum Sensing to Detect Pneumonia and Asthma in Children."

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Professor and JILA Fellow Jun Ye receives the 2025 Berthold Leibinger Zukunftspreis Award

Kirsten Apodaca — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 17:50:46 +0000

Professor and JILA Fellow Jun Ye receives the 2025 Berthold Leibinger Zukunftspreis Award Kirsten Apodaca Tue, 04/15/2025 - 11:50

Jun Ye, a distinguished Fellow at JILA and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and a physics professor at the �Ǹ�Թ�, has been honored with the 2025 Berthold Leibinger Zukunftspreis. The award acknowledges Ye's groundbreaking work in optical clocks and frequency metrology, which has significantly advanced precision measurement and timekeeping.

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CU Physics Professor Jun Ye is Awarded the Monroe Endowed Professorship

Anonymous — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 20:13:24 +0000

CU Physics Professor Jun Ye is Awarded the Monroe Endowed Professorship Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 10/15/2024 - 14:13

Kenna Hughes-Castleberry

Jun Ye, a professor of physics and a JILA and NIST Fellow, has been named the inaugural holder of the Monroe Endowed Professorship in Physics. This prestigious new professorship, the result of a $1 million endowment from CU alumnus Chris Monroe, underscores the university’s growing prominence in quantum information science and applied quantum physics.

“I went to CU for graduate school simply because it looked like the best place for me to study atomic and quantum physics,” Monroe said. “Only later did I realize just how much better it was than high-drama places on the coasts. I cannot imagine a better preparation for the rest of my career having gone through CU and JILA.”

Chris Monroe, Circa 1990

Monroe, a pioneering physicist and co-founder of IonQ, Inc., established the Monroe Endowed Professorship in Physics to support CU �Ǹ�Թ�’s leadership in the rapidly evolving field of quantum research. He graduated from CU �Ǹ�Թ� in 1992 with a Ph.D. in Physics under the mentorship of Nobel Laureates Carl Wieman and Eric Cornell, then worked closely with Nobel Laureate David Wineland at nearby NIST-�Ǹ�Թ� as they pioneered the use of individual atoms as quantum computer bits (qubits). His illustrious career has taken him to Duke University, where he is the Director of the Duke Quantum Center, and holds the Gilhuly Family Presidential Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Physics at Duke. Monroe’s research has pioneered all aspects in designing and fabricating scalable quantum computers based on atomic qubits. His machines have been programmed for rudimentary quantum algorithms and simulations of complex quantum phenomena in nature. His company IonQ, the first public quantum computing company, aims to commercialize quantum computers according to a clear technology roadmap.

His vision for the CU Physics endowment, outlined in the fund agreement, is clear: “The purpose in establishing this Fund is to enable the University and JILA to expand its research and education capacity in quantum information science and applied quantum physics through an endowed professorship position that will retain current faculty or allow the University and JILA to hire the best and brightest researchers in this field.”

One of the leaders teaching the best and brightest researchers is Jun Ye, who is internationally recognized for his groundbreaking work in precision measurement, ultracold molecules, and ultra-high precision atomic clocks. His strontium lattice atomic clock, which uses laser-based technology, is currently the most accurate in the world. His very recent measurement of a nuclear transition using laser light could revolutionize clocks (and maybe even quantum computers) well into the future. Ye’s numerous accolades reflect his leadership in the field, including the 2022 Breakthrough Prize, the I.I. Rabi Prize, and the Niels Bohr Institute Medal of Honor.

Chris Monroe, Eric Cornell and Carl Wieman during the Nobel Ceremony in 2001.

“I certainly feel very honored to be a recipient of the Monroe Endowed Professorship,” Ye said. “I have known Chris for many years. It turns out that when I arrived in JILA and CU Physics as a fresh graduate student, the very first PhD defense I witnessed was Chris's work with Carl Wieman. I have regarded Chris a gold standard for JILA and CU Physics graduates ever since. He has made big impact to quantum information science, being an original practitioner, a visionary advocate, and a breakthrough technologist.”

The selection committee, led by CU �Ǹ�Թ� Physics Professor Paul Beale and including a combination of Physics department faculty and JILA Fellows, unanimously chose Ye for the position

“Jun is internationally recognized as a leader in quantum science and technology with a specialty in precision measurement,” Beale said in a statement from the selection committee. “He is a world leader in frequency combs, ultracold molecules, and ultra-high precision atomic clocks,”

The Monroe Endowed Professorship joins a distinguished lineage of other endowed positions in CU �Ǹ�Թ�’s Department of Physics. In 2021, alumnus Joseph Mitchell and his wife Cindy established the Jesse Lafayette Mitchell Endowed Chair in Experimental Physics. Alysia Marino currently holds this chair, where her research focuses on neutrino detection and the fundamental properties of these elusive particles. Additionally, the Waldo E. Rennie Endowed Professorship in Theoretical Physics, created in 2021 with funds from the trust of Waldo E. Rennie, supports Michael Hermele’s research in quantum phases of matter and strongly correlated systems.

As the holder of the new Monroe Endowed Professorship, Jun Ye is poised to continue his transformative work in quantum physics, ensuring that CU �Ǹ�Թ� remains at the forefront of quantum science research.

“I will continue to draw inspiration from Chris and help to advance the field of quantum science and precision measurement,” added Ye.

Header photo credit: R. Jacobson/NIST

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Physics Graduate Student Chuankun Zhang Presents on Nuclear Clock Research for a Physics Colloquium at CU �Ǹ�Թ�

Anonymous — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 23:09:20 +0000

Physics Graduate Student Chuankun Zhang Presents on Nuclear Clock Research for a Physics Colloquium at CU �Ǹ�Թ� Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 10/01/2024 - 17:09

Kenna Hughes-Castleberry

For the first lecture in the Fall Physics Colloquium Series, Chuankun Zhang, a graduate student from the �Ǹ�Թ�'s physics department and a researcher at JILA, delivered an insightful talk titled “Optical Nuclear Clock: Nuclear Physics Meets Metrology”.

“It’s a rare opportunity and a very special occasion for a grad student to present a talk at a physics colloquium,” explained Zhang. “I felt super excited. I think people enjoyed the talk and our research.”

CU �Ǹ�Թ� Physics professor and JILA and NIST Fellow Jun Ye, a leading figure in quantum physics, hosted Zhang’s presentation. The talk discussed some of the groundbreaking research done by Zhang and other members of Ye’s thorium clock team, which was recently published as Nature's cover article.

Zhang’s talk focused on the latest advancements in using lasers to measure and control the behavior of atoms, which is essential for studying critical quantum phenomena. He highlighted a significant breakthrough involving the thorium-229 nucleus, where the team used a highly specialized laser to examine nuclear energy levels with incredible precision for the first time. This measurement was achieved thanks to a cutting-edge tool, a laser frequency comb that works in a very short wavelength of light.

Zhang explained how he and the team precisely measured the thorium nuclear clock transition and connected it to the most accurate atomic clock in the world, which uses the element strontium-87. This connection between nuclear physics and precision timekeeping is not just an impressive scientific accomplishment—it could lead to new ways to test fundamental theories in physics. Additionally, it holds the potential to create extremely reliable timing devices that could be used in various important applications.

“This is just the beginning of this new field,” Zhang added. “There are many things that we can do now. We’re improving our laser to get an even better resolution on this newly found nuclear transition. We are also collaborating with different groups and trying other thorium samples to see how the different material changes the transition. We also closely work with theorists to interpret our data and its fundamental physics implications.”

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Professors Ana Maria Rey and Jun Ye Featured on PBS Documentary on Quantum Research

Anonymous — Mon, 07 Feb 2022 00:53:59 +0000

Professors Ana Maria Rey and Jun Ye Featured on PBS Documentary on Quantum Research Anonymous (not verified) Sun, 02/06/2022 - 17:53

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Jun Ye Wins 2022 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics

Anonymous — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 21:00:03 +0000

Jun Ye Wins 2022 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 09/09/2021 - 15:00

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CU/NIST Physicists Get Closer to Redefining the Length of a Second

Anonymous — Tue, 30 Mar 2021 13:45:20 +0000

CU/NIST Physicists Get Closer to Redefining the Length of a Second Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 03/30/2021 - 07:45

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Jun Ye wins 2018 Rabi Award for research on optical lattice atomic clocks

Anonymous — Thu, 22 Feb 2018 22:38:46 +0000

Jun Ye wins 2018 Rabi Award for research on optical lattice atomic clocks Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 02/22/2018 - 15:38

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Physics Professor Jun Ye Elected to National Academy of Sciences

Anonymous — Wed, 11 May 2011 01:50:00 +0000

Physics Professor Jun Ye Elected to National Academy of Sciences Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 05/10/2011 - 19:50

Congratulations to Professor Jun Ye for being elected to the National Academy of Sciences. The news was announced by the NAS on Tuesday, May 3, 2011.

Professor Ye joins 72 new members and 18 foreign associates. Ye and his scientific colleagues were recognized for their distinguished and ongoing achievements in original research.

Jun Ye is a Professor Adjoint in Physics, a Fellow of JILA and a NIST Fellow. His research is focused in three related areas: laser-based atomic clocks, chemistry of cold and ultracold molecules, and precision laser spectroscopy.

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