Alejandro is a quantum computing expert with over two decades of experience translating advanced quantum and AI research into real-world applications across government, academia, and industry. His work has focused on building and leading quantum programs, shaping technical strategy, and advancing the practical deployment of quantum algorithms in areas including artificial intelligence, optimization, finance, and quantum chemistry.

Prior to joining Zapata Computing, Alejandro led the Quantum Machine Learning effort at NASA’s Quantum Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (NASA QuAIL), where he helped define research direction and applications at the intersection of quantum computing and AI. He later co-founded Qubitera LLC, a quantum consulting firm that was acquired by Rigetti Computing, where he continued to drive applied quantum initiatives bridging research and industry adoption. At Zapata, he served as Research Director of Quantum AI, overseeing the development of quantum algorithms and guiding teams working on hybrid quantum-classical approaches for near-term applications.

Alejandro previously held an Honorary Senior Research Associate appointment at University College London, through which he formally supervised PhD students and collaborated on research initiatives. He earned his M.A. and Ph.D. in Chemical Physics from Harvard University. Over the course of his career, he has contributed to the design, implementation, and optimization of quantum computing algorithms, consistently emphasizing performance, scalability, and application relevance. His recent work has focused on hybrid quantum-classical methods for hard optimization problems and challenging machine learning subroutines.

His contributions have been recognized with multiple honors, including NASA’s 2014 Staff Appreciation and Recognition (STAR) Award and the 2016 Ames Honor Award. In 2017, he was recognized by the Colombian Embassy in the United States as one of the 22 most influential Colombians in the country for his scientific leadership and outreach efforts supporting the next generation of scientists and technologists.

• Research Director of Quantum AI, Zapata Computing. Toronto, Canada (02/2022 - 10/2023).

• Associate Director of Quantum AI, Zapata Computing. Toronto, Canada (11/2020 - 01/2022).

• Quantum Applications Lead, Zapata Computing. Toronto, ON, Canada (11/2019 - 10/2020).

• Sr. Research Scientist, Zapata Computing. Toronto, ON, Canada (03/2019 - 10/2019).

• Honorary Senior Research Associate, Computer Science Dept., University College London, London, UK (09/2016 - 09/2020)

• Sr. Research Scientist/Quantum ML Technical Lead, Rigetti Computing. Berkeley, CA, USA (05/2018 - 01/2019).

• Co-Founder/Chief Scientific Officer, Qubitera, LLC. Mountain View, CA USA (02/2018 - 04/2018). Exit: Acquired by Rigetti Computing

• Sr. Research Scientist/Quantum ML Technical Lead, NASA's Quantum AI Lab., Moffett Field, CA, USA (06/2016 - 04/2018).

• Associate Research Scientist, NASA's Quantum AI Lab., Moffett Field, CA, USA (10/2012 - 05/2018).

• Scientific Advisor, Cambridge Quantum Computing Ltd., Cambridge, UK (06/2016 - 04/2018)

• Senior Advisor, QC Ware Corp., Palo Alto, CA, USA (05/2015 - 12/2016)

Email:      aperdomo [~at~] post.harvard.edu

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alejandro-perdomo

Twitter: @aperdomoortiz