Biography:Alexandra Olaya-Castro

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Short description: Colombian theoretical physicist
Alexandra Olaya-Castro
Alexandra Olaya-Castro.jpg
Born(1976-03-30)March 30, 1976
Bogota, Colombia
CitizenshipColombian and British
Alma mater
Known forQuantum effects in biomolecular processes
Awards
  • EPSRC Career Acceleration Fellowship (2008)
  • Maxwell Prize (2016)
Scientific career
FieldsQuantum Biology
InstitutionsUniversity College London
ThesisQuantum correlations in multi-qubit-cavity systems (2004)
Doctoral advisorNeil F. Johnson
Websitewww.ucl.ac.uk/~ucapaol/aboutAOC.html

Alexandra Olaya-Castro is a Colombian-born theoretical physicist, currently a Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at University College London. She is also the Vice-Dean (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) for the Mathematical and Physical science Faculty.[1]

She is known for her work on quantum physics on biomolecular processes, specifically for her research on quantum effects in photosynthesis.[2] She was the recipient of the Maxwell Medal in 2016 "for her contributions to the theory of quantum effects in bio-molecular systems".[3]

Early life and education

Olaya-Castro did an undergraduate in Physics Education at Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas and later obtained a Master of Science in Physics at Universidad de Los Andes in 2002. She then moved to the United Kingdom to pursue a doctorate in physics in the department of physics at the Somerville College, Oxford, where she obtained her DPhil in Physics with her thesis titled “Quantum correlations in multi-qubit-cavity systems” supervised by Neil F. Johnson.

Research and career

Following her DPhil in Quantum Science at the University of Oxford, Olaya-Castro was awarded a Junior Research Fellowship by Trinity College as well at Oxford University from 2005 to 2008. There she began her research in quantum effects in photosynthesis.[4]

In 2008, Olaya-Castro was awarded an EPSRC Career Acceleration Fellowship hosted by University College London[5][6] where she started an independent research group investigating problems at the interface of Quantum Science and Biology. She obtained a permanent Lecturer position at UCL in 2011 and was promoted to Reader in 2015.[7] In 2016 she became the recipient of the Maxwell and Medal Prize by the Institute of Physics for her contribution to the theoretical understanding of quantum effects in biomolecules.[8] In 2018, Olaya-Castro was promoted to full Professor at UCL[9] and in 2019 she was also appointed as the first vice-Dean for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the Mathematical and Physical Sciences.[10]

Olaya-Castro’s current research interests lie in the theoretical understanding of the quantum to classical transition [i.e.[11]] and in how quantum science can contribute to new theoretical and experimental explorations of dynamics and control of biomolecular processes [i.e.[12]].

Teaching

Olaya-Castro teaches the 4th-year course in Advanced Quantum Theory attended by intercollegiate students from University College London, King's College London, Queen Mary University of London and Royal Holloway.[13]

Public engagement

In 2015, she delivered a public talk at the Royal Institution which is available as a podcast.[14]

Olaya-Castro’s research was showcased at the 2016 Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition.[15]

In 2016 Olaya-Castro delivered a TEDx talk advocating for breaking socioeconomic and gender stereotypes through exploring what she calls the option B, the talk in spanish is found here: El poder de la opción B para romper estereotipos.

Awards and honours

In 2003, she was awarded the Arthur H Cooke Memorial Prize for distinguished work by a first year student, Department of Physics, University of Oxford.[16]

In 2005, she won a Junior Research Fellowship at Trinity College, University of Oxford.

In 2008, she was awarded an EPSRC Career acceleration fellowship to pursue independent research.[17][18]

In 2016, she was awarded the Maxwell Medal and Prize.

Selected publications

The most cited publications by Olaya-Castro to the date are:[19]

  • GD Scholes, GR Fleming, A Olaya-Castro, R Van Grondelle. Lessons from nature about solar light harvesting. (2011) Nature chemistry 3 (10), 763-774
  • A Olaya-Castro, CF Lee, FF Olsen, NF Johnson. Efficiency of energy transfer in a light-harvesting system under quantum coherence. (2008) Physical Review B 78 (8), 085115
  • GD Scholes, GR Fleming, LX Chen, A Aspuru-Guzik, A Buchleitner. Using coherence to enhance function in chemical and biophysical systems. (2017) Nature 543 (7647), 647-656
  • A Kolli, EJ O’Reilly, GD Scholes, A Olaya-Castro. The fundamental role of quantized vibrations in coherent light harvesting by cryptophyte algae. (2012) The Journal of chemical physics 137 (17), 174109
  • EJ O’Reilly, A Olaya-Castro. Non-classicality of the molecular vibrations assisting exciton energy transfer at room temperature. (2014) Nature communications 5 (1), 1-10
  • A Olaya-Castro, GD Scholes. Energy transfer from Förster–Dexter theory to quantum coherent light-harvesting. (2011) International Reviews in Physical Chemistry 30 (1), 49-77
  • F Fassioli, A Olaya-Castro. Distribution of entanglement in light-harvesting complexes and their quantum efficiency. (2010) New Journal of Physics 12 (8), 085006
  • F Fassioli, A Nazir, A Olaya-Castro. Quantum state tuning of energy transfer in a correlated environment. (2010)The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters 1 (14), 2139-2143

Personal life

Olaya-Castro is the mother of two children.[20]

References

  1. ↑ UCL (2018-01-02). "About the Dean and Vice-Deans" (in en). https://www.ucl.ac.uk/mathematical-physical-sciences/about-faculty/about-dean-and-vice-deans. 
  2. ↑ "Quantum Physics | Biomolecular Processes | Alexandra Olaya-Castro |UCL". http://www.ucl.ac.uk/~ucapaol/index.html. 
  3. ↑ Physics, Institute of. "2016 Maxwell Medal and prize of the Institute of Physics". http://www.iop.org/about/awards/career/maxwell/medallists/page_67613.html. 
  4. ↑ Phys. Rev. B. (2008-08-12). "Efficiency of energy transfer in a light-harvesting system under quantum coherence" (in en). Physical Review B 78 (8): 085115. doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.78.085115. Bibcode: 2008PhRvB..78h5115O. 
  5. ↑ "Grants on the web" (in en). https://gow.epsrc.ukri.org/NGBOViewGrant.aspx?GrantRef=EP/G005222/1. 
  6. ↑ "Exploiting quantum coherent energy transfer in light-harvesting systems". https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FG005222%2F1. 
  7. ↑ Faculty of Mathematics and Physical Sciences (2015-10-01). "Senior Academic, Research and Teaching Fellow Promotions 2014-15 - Successful List" (in en). https://www.ucl.ac.uk/hr/docs/successful_sp_2015.php#2. 
  8. ↑ Physics, Institute of. "2016 Maxwell Medal and prize of the Institute of Physics". http://www.iop.org/about/awards/career/maxwell/medallists/page_67613.html. 
  9. ↑ "Academic careers framework and promotions processes. Promotions-2017-18, successful professors". https://www.ucl.ac.uk/human-resources/policies-advice/academic-careers-framework-and-promotions-processes/promotions-2017-18-successful#professors. 
  10. ↑ UCL (2018-01-02). "About the Dean and Vice-Deans" (in en). https://www.ucl.ac.uk/mathematical-physical-sciences/about-faculty/about-dean-and-vice-deans. 
  11. ↑ Phys. Rev. Lett. (2019-01-08). "Strong Quantum Darwinism and Strong Independence are Equivalent to Spectrum Broadcast Structure" (in en). Physical Review Letters 122 (1): 010403. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.122.010403. PMID 31012639. Bibcode: 2019PhRvL.122a0403L. https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10069987/. 
  12. ↑ Nature Communications (2014-01-09). "Non-classicality of the molecular vibrations assisting exciton energy transfer at room temperature" (in en). https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms4012. 
  13. ↑ "Iris View Profile". https://iris.ucl.ac.uk/iris/browse/profile?upi=AOLAY38. 
  14. ↑ "Ri Science Podcast". https://m.soundcloud.com/royal-institution/quantum-biology-podcast. 
  15. ↑ "Quantum secrets of photosynthesis | Royal Society" (in en-gb). https://royalsociety.org/science-events-and-lectures/2016/summer-science-exhibition/exhibits/quantum-secrets-photosynthesis/. 
  16. ↑ "Prize winners | University of Oxford Department of Physics". https://www2.physics.ox.ac.uk/research/condensed-matter-physics/prizes. 
  17. ↑ "Grants on the web" (in en). https://gow.epsrc.ukri.org/NGBOViewGrant.aspx?GrantRef=EP/G005222/1. 
  18. ↑ "Exploiting quantum coherent energy transfer in light-harvesting systems". https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FG005222%2F1. 
  19. ↑ "Alexandra Olaya-Castro - Google Scholar". https://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?user=SIfLGHcAAAAJ&hl=en. 
  20. ↑ "El par de colombianas que está arrasando con los premios de física" (in ES). 2019-03-08. https://www.elespectador.com/noticias/ciencia/el-par-de-colombianas-que-esta-arrasando-con-los-premios-de-fisica-articulo-843791. 

External links



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