Virginia Tech Hires Quantum Researcher Jiaqi Leng as Assistant Professor, Expanding 20-Member IAC
Updated
Updated · Virginia Tech · Aug 13
Virginia Tech Hires Quantum Researcher Jiaqi Leng as Assistant Professor, Expanding 20-Member IAC
1 articles · Updated · Virginia Tech · Aug 13
Summary
Fall 2026 will bring Jiaqi Leng to Virginia Tech as an assistant professor of computer science based at the Institute for Advanced Computing in the Washington, D.C., area.
Leng arrives from UC Berkeley, where he was a postdoctoral fellow, to deepen Virginia Tech’s work in quantum algorithms, optimization, machine learning and scientific computing.
His research includes Quantum Hamiltonian Descent, which Virginia Tech said can deliver exponential speedups in hard non-convex optimization problems, and QHDOPT, an open-source platform for gate-based and analog quantum hardware.
The appointment also links the IAC’s Center for Quantum Architecture and Software Development with Virginia Tech’s broader quantum effort in Blacksburg, where 15-plus faculty work across engineering and science.
The hire supports Virginia Tech’s Northern Virginia expansion: the IAC now has 20 faculty, serves more than 500 graduate students and plans to grow to about 50 faculty.