Women in Quantum: Munia Humaira
By: Ana Ciocoiu
March 18, 2025
At the Quantum Algorithms Institute, we recognize that diverse perspectives drive innovation in quantum technology. As part of our Women in Quantum series, we highlight the careers, challenges, and aspirations of women shaping the future of this field.
In this feature, Munia Humaira shares her journey from foundational physics studies in Bangladesh to her current research in quantum memory and quantum repeater networks at the Institute for Quantum Computing, University of Waterloo. With expertise in optical sciences, atomic ensembles, and quantum dot-based single photons, Munia is dedicated to advancing quantum communication.
I am Munia Humaira, currently pursuing my graduate studies in Physics at the Institute for Quantum Computing at the University of Waterloo, specializing in Quantum Information. My research focuses on developing quantum memory by interfacing atomic ensembles with quantum dot-based single photons for use in quantum repeater networks. I hold an M.Sc. in Optical Sciences from the Humboldt University of Berlin, where my work centered on Bose-Einstein condensate-based matter wave interferometry for precision measurements.
I completed my B.Sc. in Physics at the University of Dhaka in Bangladesh, where I established my foundational knowledge in Physics. Outside of research, I love spending time with my family, playing board games with friends, and traveling to different countries and historical places. I also enjoy reading various books, watching movies, and I am passionate about dogs.
What got you interested in quantum technology initially?
When I started my bachelor’s in physics at the University of Dhaka I had no clue what quantum was. In my third year I got to join a quantum mechanics course and I really enjoyed it at the time; it opened up a surprising and unconventional way to think. I eventually left to do a master’s degree in Germany as part of an optical science program, and there, again, I encountered quantum mechanics. You were able choose different specializations within this program, and after sampling some different courses I decided to focus on quantum technologies; specifically, cold atoms.
Growing up, what were your perceptions of a job in the STEM field and of the people in it?
The expectation of south asian women is often to marry and have kids, not get a degree. But my dad was not very traditional in that sense; he wanted me to excel at school. In fact, he was really strict about that! So as a kid I was very focused on doing well in school, and I found that I was especially good at math and physics. When I got admission to university, I wasn’t allowed to choose my major - that’s how the system works there - and ended up getting put into a physics major. I wasn’t super interested in my classes during my first year and ended up doing quite badly. I wasn’t sure if I was in the right place. I remember a conversation I had with my dad during this time, where he told me that education was the only way for a woman here to have something of her own, and be financially independent. That conversation changed my perspective on life and the sacrifices we have to make to generate opportunities for ourselves.
What has been your favorite project or research experience so far?
I absolutely loved my Master’s degree in Germany. It was basically one and a half years of research and courses. I was never bored! I started in this group called Integrated Quantum Sensors, headed by a wonderful professor who was the funniest and most interesting person I have met to date. He was always very positive and encouraging towards his students.
Did you feel you had adequate mentorship and support on your learning and professional journey?
I had a wonderful mentor in Germany who was a PhD student at the time; his name was Simon. We frequently worked on projects together and I bombarded him with questions, but he was never annoyed and always eager to teach me new things.
Who is a woman that inspires you, and why?
Dr. Athoy Nilima was one of my undergrad professors and she now works for the Atomic Energy Commission in the UK. I find that undergrad students experience some very emotionally vulnerable times and benefit enormously from guidance. She was always very encouraging and affectionate with us, and that’s stuck with me all these years. I really aspire to be like her someday. I recently started grad studies at IQC in Waterloo, and have already met so many interesting women. I’m hoping I’ll get to know them and build some lasting relationships here.
What is a challenge you have faced that you are especially proud of overcoming?
Adapting to the educational system in Germany was really challenging. In my first semester I took a double credit course that was intended to cover all the basics of optics and photonics. We don’t have courses quite that large and condensed back home; I really struggled ,and ended up failing the first exam. In Germany, you’re only allowed to take an exam three times before being kicked out of the program and can never rejoin. So I was incredibly stressed at the time, and this was compounded by the difficulty of dealing with the language barrier and daily culture shocks as I tried to integrate into society there. Even going to the supermarket was a stressful experience because I didn’t speak any German initially. I was basically trying to study full-time while also learning German full-time. But I persisted - I worked really, really hard to make sure that I passed the remaining exams for that course.
What would you like to accomplish in the future?
It’s not a big fancy dream, but I just want to have a normal life and a good job! I would like to work in industry after finishing my PhD, and get to apply all the research skills I’ve learned.
How do you think quantum technology can impact the lives of people in your community (either for better or worse)?
I’ve worked in a lot of different roles within the quantum industry, including quantum sensors for navigation systems and quantum memory for communication technologies. So I understand the potential applications of lots of emerging quantum technologies. At the same time, I’m aware that a lot of these developments seem far removed and not impactful to a lot of people around the world who are not involved with the science community. While I’m certain that the advantages of these technologies will make their way into the lives of these people as well, I’m equally certain that they will be completely unprepared for it. I think the quantum revolution will be just as life-changing as the internet, and will completely alter the way we interact with each other and our institutions. Whether these effects are positive or negative, only time will tell.
We can see from AI and facial recognition technologies the consequences of considering responsible development only after the technology has hit the market. As the global conversation around quantum computing develops, the concept of responsible innovation has emerged. RI aims to foster a culture of engagement between the quantum computing community society, so that we experience not only the benefits of quantum computing research but also good governance, transparency, and accountability. Do you feel quantum computing is developing responsibly? Why/why not?
I think there is a lot of interest coming from regulatory bodies and industry in making sure that this technology results in net positive gains for humanity. In particular I see that there is a lot of effort being made to secure our communications and banking systems from the threats of a universal quantum computer. This effort comes from both the scientific community that is developing post-quantum cryptography as well as from government agencies that are working with banks to start the slow transition to quantum-secure systems. I think there should definitely be more urgency to existing initiatives, as well as more consideration given to other less-considered outcomes such as threats to political stability and national security, that may arise if one country decides to misuse quantum technology
Development of quantum technology has thus far been concentrated in well-funded research labs and a subset of companies that exist mostly in the ‘global north’ due to the level of infrastructural development needed and the existing research environments. Going forward, who would you like to see included in the development and deployment of quantum technology?
As a South-Asian woman I will of course want to vouch for my part of the world. I want to see more Bangladeshis working and engaging with quantum technology. We have so much untapped talent; not everyone is lucky enough to leave the country and pursue higher education. Sometimes I think that I would like to see more foreign funding to support education and research in Bangladesh, but at the same time, I don’t want us to just rely on others; the government should take note of quantum computing developments happening around the world and push to develop local talent and industry, so that citizens can explore this field. This could include creating scholarship programs to keep talent in the country instead of slowly losing it all as people leave abroad for better opportunities. Having worked on quantum in Europe and now in Canada, I can say with certainty that most south asian countries are really falling behind.
Given the current trajectory of development, it is a possibility that global division emerges as only a few countries have access to quantum computing. Areas without access are left behind as those that have access take advantage of this technology. Given existing digital divides, this scenario may worsen global inequality. What does responsible quantum innovation look like to you?
We have always had global inequality, and it all boils down to one thing: money. Disadvantaged countries lack the funds to educate their people and elevate talented individuals, and so the cycle of deprivation continues. These countries may experience a trickle down effect once new technologies are invented but the creation of this tech alone won’t fix the inequality problem, because the system is designed to benefit rich countries. Until money starts flowing into disadvantaged countries nothing will change.
Quantum technology can be leveraged in positive ways that benefit humanity (eg, drug discovery) but it can also be leveraged in ways that make the world far worse, such as exacerbating geopolitical tensions and opportunity divides. Developing quantum technology in a responsible way is clearly going to be challenging. Are you overall optimistic or pessimistic about the way we will choose to develop this technology?
I’m naturally an optimistic person. But I am aware that technologies developed by scientists get away from them after they’ve been created: once they enter the mainstream, scientists no longer have any control over how they are used. No matter how goodhearted early atomic scientists were, the discovery of nuclear fission still led to the development and deployment of atomic bombs. And almost 80 years later, this invention continues to threaten the future of humanity. This thought should always keep us on our toes. Right now, I think almost everyone working on quantum technologies has good intentions. But we never know how the political climate will change in the future, and so, as scientists, we must make sure to engage with the world and take part in public discourse and politics. Staying accountable for our inventions will hopefully make it harder to turn them into weapons.
What dreams/ aspirations do you have for the future of quantum computing?
Since I work on quantum communications, I would obviously like to see the quantum internet come into existence, accessible worldwide. I’m also really excited to see what applications quantum sensors will have in the medical field; hopefully, some of these developments will help improve the detection of cancer and deadly diseases.