# Thomas Vidick

> computer scientist

**Wikidata**: [Q59662701](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q59662701)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/thomas-vidick

## Summary
Thomas Vidick is a Belgian computer scientist and university teacher specializing in quantum information science and cryptography. He is best known for his breakthroughs in quantum complexity, including his work that proved the class of languages verifiable by quantum multi-prover interactive proof systems is equal to the class of recursively enumerable languages (MIP*=RE).

## Biography
- **Born**: 1982-07-13
- **Nationality**: Belgium
- **Education**: Master's degree, Paris Diderot University (2007); École Normale Supérieure; University of California, Berkeley
- **Known for**: Breakthroughs in quantum complexity and quantum cryptography.
- **Employer(s)**: Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (2024-present); Weizmann Institute of Science (2022-2024); California Institute of Technology (2014-2022); Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2011-2013).
- **Field(s)**: Quantum information science, cryptography, informatics, computing.

## Contributions
Thomas Vidick's most significant contribution is his work in quantum complexity theory, which resolved a major open problem in the field. This work culminated in a proof that the complexity class MIP* (languages decidable by a classical verifier interacting with multiple, entangled, non-communicating quantum provers) is equal to RE (the class of recursively enumerable languages). This result, often shorthanded as "MIP*=RE," has profound implications for both quantum mechanics and theoretical computer science.

The proof demonstrates that verifying the behavior of entangled quantum systems is a problem of maximal computational difficulty. It established a surprising and deep connection between quantum entanglement, the theory of computation, and pure mathematics, specifically operator algebras. For this achievement, Vidick was awarded the 2023 Michael and Sheila Held Prize. His research provides fundamental insights into the limits of computation and the power of quantum information, with applications in areas like quantum cryptography and the verification of quantum devices. His work is foundational for understanding the interplay between quantum physics and computational complexity.

## FAQs
### Q: What is Thomas Vidick famous for?
A: Thomas Vidick is famous for his foundational work in quantum complexity theory, particularly for co-proving that MIP*=RE. This result connects quantum entanglement with the limits of computation and solved a long-standing problem in theoretical computer science.

### Q: What awards has Thomas Vidick received?
A: Thomas Vidick has received several prestigious awards, including the Michael and Sheila Held Prize in 2023 for his breakthroughs in quantum complexity and the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) in 2019.

### Q: Where does Thomas Vidick currently work?
A: As of 2024, Thomas Vidick is affiliated with the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL). He previously held positions at the Weizmann Institute of Science, the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

## Why They Matter
Thomas Vidick's work has fundamentally altered the landscape of quantum complexity theory and its relationship to other fields. His proof that MIP*=RE is a landmark result that establishes an unexpected bridge between the physical concept of quantum entanglement and the abstract mathematical theory of computability. This discovery implies that it is possible to use a classical computer to verify the solution to any problem that is computable, provided it can interact with non-communicating but entangled quantum provers.

This has profound consequences. For computer science, it reveals the immense power of quantum information and resolves a major question in complexity theory. For physics, it provides a new way to probe the foundations of quantum mechanics and has led to the resolution of problems in pure mathematics, such as the Connes embedding problem in the theory of operator algebras. Vidick's research has not only solved a major open question but has also opened up new avenues of inquiry at the intersection of physics, mathematics, and computer science, influencing how researchers approach problems in quantum cryptography and the verification of quantum systems.

## Notable For
- **Michael and Sheila Held Prize (2023):** Awarded for breakthroughs in quantum complexity and cryptography leading to the proof that MIP*=RE.
- **MIP*=RE Proof:** A landmark result in theoretical computer science connecting quantum interactive proofs with the class of recursively enumerable languages, thereby solving a major open problem.
- **Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (2019):** Received this high honor from the U.S. government for his contributions as a promising young researcher.
- **Interdisciplinary Impact:** His work has had significant implications not only for computer science but also for fundamental physics and pure mathematics, including the resolution of the Connes embedding problem.
- **Academic Leadership:** Has held faculty positions at several world-leading research institutions, including Caltech, MIT, the Weizmann Institute, and EPFL.

## Body
### Career and Affiliations
Thomas Vidick has held academic positions at several prominent research institutions.
- **Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL):** Started in 2024.
- **Weizmann Institute of Science:** Employed from 2022 to 2024.
- **California Institute of Technology (Caltech):** Employed from 2014 to 2022.
- **Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT):** Employed from 2011 to 2013.

### Education and Training
- Vidick received his master's degree from **Paris Diderot University** (also referred to as University Paris 7) in 2007.
- He also studied at the **École Normale Supérieure**.
- He attended the **University of California, Berkeley**, where his doctoral advisor was the theoretical computer scientist **Umesh Vazirani**.

### Research Focus
Vidick's work is interdisciplinary, focusing on the intersection of computer science, physics, and mathematics.
- **Primary Fields:** His main fields of work are quantum information science and cryptography.
- **Additional Fields:** He also works in the broader areas of informatics and computing.
- **Interests:** He has a specific interest in computational complexity theory.

### Awards and Recognition
Vidick's contributions have been recognized with major awards.
- **Michael and Sheila Held Prize (2023):** He received this award "For his breakthroughs in quantum complexity and quantum cryptography that led to the proof that the class of languages in which membership may be established by quantum multi-prover interactive proof systems is equal to the class of recursively enumerable languages."
- **Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) (2019):** A high honor awarded to early-career scientists and engineers in the United States.

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## References

1. [Source](http://cms.caltech.edu/people/vidick)
2. Czech National Authority Database
3. [Source](http://users.cms.caltech.edu/~vidick/cv.pdf)
4. Mathematics Genealogy Project
5. [Source](http://users.cms.caltech.edu/~vidick/)
6. [Source](http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6405-365X)
7. [Source](http://www.cms.caltech.edu/people/vidick)
8. [Source](https://www.weizmann.ac.il/math/vidick/home)
9. [Source](https://people.epfl.ch/thomas.vidick)
10. [Source](https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/president-donald-j-trump-announces-recipients-presidential-early-career-award-scientists-engineers/)
11. [Source](https://www.nasonline.org/programs/awards/michael-and-sheila-held-prize.html)
12. Virtual International Authority File