01 · A life in computing
The person behind the work
Gilles Brassard helped connect theoretical computer science with quantum physics. With Charles Bennett he developed BB84, showing how quantum properties could support key distribution and reveal eavesdropping. His research also spans quantum algorithms, cryptography, and communication complexity. At the Université de Montréal, he helped build quantum information into a sustained research field, exploring how quantum resources change what can be computed, communicated, and securely shared.
The contribution, explained
Charles Bennett and Gilles Brassard helped establish quantum information science. Their BB84 protocol showed how quantum states could support key distribution, with eavesdropping detectable through statistical checks under the protocol’s assumptions. Their wider work helped turn entanglement and other quantum phenomena into information-processing resources. The 2025 award was announced in March 2026.
Why it matters
Quantum information changed the questions researchers could ask about secrecy, communication and the physical basis of computation.