Nima Leclerc

I am an Iranian-American quantum research scientist and engineer based in Boston. I serve as a Principal Investigator at MITRE, where I lead the Adaptive Quantum Sensing Program—a multi-institutional research team of 8 PhD researchers focused on developing next-generation quantum sensors through adaptive AI algorithms and digital twin frameworks (Quantum Brilliance, NVIDIA, and MITRE). I have overseen collectivley millions of dollars in research budget. My research tackles the core challenges of scaling quantum systems, developing control and sensing techniques that bridge theory and real-world deployment. Through my partnership with NVIDIA, I apply GPU-accelerated computing to solve computational bottlenecks in quantum engineering, dramatically accelerating device design and optimization.

I have previously held positions at PsiQuantum, Kepler Computing, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, UPenn, Cornell, and Caltech.

In parallel, I have co-founded and am a Partner at Arcturus (formely Abelian), a deeptech due diligence firm with a 13-person team across top institutions (e.g., Deepmind, Agility, Stanford, MIT), advising VCs and strategic investors on frontier technologies. Our work has shaped investment decisions totaling hundreds of millions of dollars across next-gen compute, AI, robotics, and advanced materials.

Quantum computers, sensors, and communication systems promise transformative capabilities—but scaling them requires bridging physics, AI, materials, and engineering. My research develops the algorithms, materials, and simulation frameworks that make this possible:

• Time-resolved quantum imaging — Quantum imaging technique (Walsh imaging) for detecting electromagnetic fields with arbitrary spatiotemporal and vectorial dependencies, achieving 100 ns temporal resolution and 1 μm spatial resolution. Enables real-time visualization of dynamic magnetic sources—from neural activity mapping to detecting defects in next-generation microelectronics.
• AI for controlling quantum hardware — Reinforcement learning and meta-learning techniques for adaptive quantum control, with theoretical scaling laws and derived bounds on when adaptive approaches outperform robust ones. Reduces calibration overhead from hours to minutes, enabling quantum devices that self-tune in the field.
• Digital twin frameworks — GPU-accelerated simulations for realistic emulation of diamond-based quantum hardware in real-world environments, achieving 50× speedup on NVIDIA H100 GPUs via CUDA-Q. Compresses months of experimental trial-and-error into days of simulation, dramatically accelerating quantum sensor development.
• Portable quantum magnetometers — Miniature magnetometers for GPS-denied navigation using NV diamond on piezoelectric photonic circuits, achieving ~0.12 nT sensing accuracy with vector sensitivity. Provides reliable navigation for defense, emergency response, and autonomous systems when GPS is jammed or unavailable.
• Ferroelectric spin control — First-principles demonstration of voltage-controlled spin reorientation in magnetically-doped oxides, showing 90° polarization switching induces 112° spin rotation. Opens a path toward ultra-low-power magnetic memory and spintronic devices controlled by voltage rather than current.
• SELFE method — First-principles framework for predicting magnetothermal properties (Curie/Néel temperatures) with 100× improvement in sample efficiency. Accelerates discovery of magnetic materials for electric vehicles, renewable energy, and next-generation electronics.

This work has far-reaching impact: from GPS-free navigation for defense and emergency response in GPS-denied environments, to magnetocardiography for early detection of cardiac disease, and beyond.

In essence, I develop the simulation and optimization stack that lets you build quantum hardware on GPUs before building it in the lab. From first-principles materials prediction to adaptive control algorithms, my work compresses the quantum R&D cycle across every layer of the system.

I have been an invited speaker at various international venues:

• NVIDIA GTC 2025 — Presented on GPU-accelerated quantum simulation (San Jose)
• IEEE Quantum Week — Delivered invited talk on digital twins (Albuquerque)
• The Economist 2024 — Participated in panel discussion on quantum sensing commercial applications (London)
• The Economist 2025 — Participated in panel discussion on quantum magnetometers for navigation in GNSS denied environments (London)
• U.S. Congress — Briefed legislators on quantum national security(Washington)
• Quantum Australia 2026 — Upcoming invited talk (Adelaide)

My work has been featured in:

• MITRE News — "MITRE Builds New Quantum Imaging Using NVIDIA CUDA-Q"
• Business Wire — Walsh Imaging technology announcement
• The Quantum Insider — Coverage of MITRE-NVIDIA quantum imaging collaboration
• Inside Quantum Technology — Syndication of "A Quantum Sputnik Moment"
• Springer Nature — "Science on the Hill: Planning for a Post Quantum Future"
• Penn Engineering — "Meet Our Students" feature profile

I have briefed ambassadors, former heads of state, and cabinet officials on quantum technology and national security, including Australian Ambassador Kevin Rudd, former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt. My writing on quantum policy, including "A Quantum Sputnik Moment", has been published in Just Security.

I received my undergraduate training in Materials Science and Engineering from Cornell University, where my senior honors thesis focused on quantum mechanical noise in next-generation transistors. I did my PhD studies in Electrical Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania where my research focused on quantum control of silicon-based quantum processors, where I was a Dean's Fellow and Perry World House Policy Graduate Associate.

Beyond the Lab

Outside of research, I'm a competitive distance runner—I placed 2nd overall at the 2019 San Francisco Half Marathon (1:20:23). I've traveled to 45+ countries across six continents, with Tanzania as my favorite destination. I'm also an advanced skier who favors challenging terrain at Jackson Hole and Zermatt, and a concert pianist.