World-leading quantum physicist You Chenglong leaves US for Chinese research institute

Distinguished quantum physicist You Chenglong has officially returned to China following an influential ten-year tenure in the United States. He has accepted a full-time professorship at the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC) in Chengdu, joining the university’s Quantum Physics and Engineering Laboratory. This move marks a significant transition for Dr. You, who was previously an assistant research professor at Louisiana State University (LSU).

Dr. You is widely recognized as a prominent figure in the fields of quantum sensing and precision measurement, areas that hold substantial strategic value for modern technological advancement. While his appointment was made public earlier this month through various media reports and updates to his Google Scholar profile, his profile has not yet been formally integrated into the university’s primary public faculty directory.

The laboratory Dr. You has joined was established in 2023 with a specific mandate to bolster national capabilities in high-precision quantum photonic devices. His recruitment is seen as a pivotal step in advancing research into quantum measurement, which serves as a foundation for next-generation technological infrastructure.

His academic journey at LSU included earning a doctorate in physics in 2019, followed by several years of intensive research as a postdoctoral fellow in quantum photonics. Throughout his career in the United States, his work focused on leveraging the properties of light to reach the fundamental limits of measurement accuracy, a pursuit with direct applications in gravitational-wave detection and the development of ultra-precise navigation systems.

Dr. You’s research record is characterized by high-level collaboration with prestigious American institutions, including the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). His experiments there utilized multi-photon states to identify minute physical variations that traditional measurement methods are incapable of detecting. These contributions have earned him international acclaim, including the Emil Wolf Outstanding Student Paper Competition award and a research fellowship in Japan.

Beyond his academic publications, Dr. You holds several patents in both China and the U.S. and maintains a role on the technical committee for CLEO, a leading international conference for optics and photonics. His professional standing highlights the high caliber of expertise he brings to his new role at UESTC.

Founded in 1956, UESTC is a premier institution for engineering and information technology in China, frequently tasked with developing specialists for the nation’s defense and communications sectors. However, the university’s prominence has also made it a subject of international scrutiny; it has been included on the U.S. Commerce Department’s Entity List since 2012.

The inclusion on this list stems from concerns regarding the university's involvement in advanced electronics that could have dual-use applications. Consequently, the institution faces ongoing restrictions regarding the export and acquisition of certain American-origin technologies, adding a complex geopolitical layer to its status as a leading center for quantum research.