Nobel Prize Conversations First reactions | John Martinis, Nobel Prize in Physics 2025 | Telephone interview
Oct 7, 2025
John Martinis, a pioneer in quantum computing and 2025 Nobel Prize laureate, shares his delightful learning curve after receiving the award. He humorously recounts how his wife broke the news while he slept. In a fascinating discussion, Martinis reflects on his collaboration with fellow scientists, the evolution of quantum research into practical applications, and the engineering hurdles in building scalable quantum computers. He emphasizes the vital need for collaboration among researchers and companies to achieve commercial viability in the quantum technology landscape.
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Wife Handled The First Calls
- John Martinis slept through the Nobel call while his wife answered reporters and screened calls at night.
- He woke at 5:30am to reporters at the house and a constant stream of media and congratulations thereafter.
Recognition Reflects Community Progress
- Winning a Nobel Prize is not something one can realistically aim for, but recognition validates impactful experimental work.
- Martinis finds the wider scientific community working on superconducting qubits the most exciting outcome of their experiments.
Formative Collaboration In Berkeley Lab
- Martinis describes early work with John Clarke and Michel Devoret as formative training in doing careful microwave experiments.
- He credits the collaborative spark and daily interaction with Michel Devoret for shaping his scientific approach.