Meeting net-zero commitments will require faster, deeper innovation across energy, materials and industrial systems — and many of the hardest decarbonisation problems now sit beyond the limits of today’s tools. The Queensland Quantum Decarbonisation Alliance was established to change that, bringing quantum capability to the places where conventional approaches fall short. 

As the Alliance accelerates from establishment to delivery, the $30 million initiative has appointed its inaugural leadership team. 

Prof. Eleanor G. Rieffel joins as Director, and Kayla Warner as Manager — formalising the leadership of a 27-partner consortium built to apply quantum technologies to one of the defining challenges of our time. 

Handing over the keys 

The QDA was established through QUBIC, alongside core partners the University of Queensland, Griffith University, PsiQuantum, and CSIRO — part of a broader 27-partner consortium. The partners span quantum science, decarbonisation research and carbon‑intensive industry including Siemens, Aurizon and Energy Queensland, creating a structure that connects frontier capability with real‑world need. 

Prof. Warwick Bowen, Director of QUBIC, has spent the past 18 months working with partners to establish the Alliance, secure funding and build the consortium, before handing over to the incoming leadership team. QUBIC remains a core research partner in the Alliance’s work. 

“Some of the most persistent decarbonisation challenges now sit beyond the limits of classical computing and sensing. Quantum technologies open new opportunities, and Australia is well placed to translate this capability into real world impact. The QDA was set up to do just that at scale and Eleanor and Kayla bring the right combination of technical depth, leadership and partnership experience to take the Alliance from foundation to delivery.”
— Prof. Warwick Bowen, Director, QUBIC  

Prof. Eleanor G. Rieffel — Director 

Prof. Rieffel arrives from NASA’s Ames Research Center, where she led the Quantum Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (QuAIL) and served as NASA Senior Researcher for Advanced Computing and Data Analytics. One of the world’s leading experts in making quantum computers practically useful, her research spans quantum algorithms, quantum error correction, logical and fault-tolerant architectures, and resource estimation for future real-world applications of quantum technologies. She is the co-author, with Wolfgang Polak, of Quantum Computing: A Gentle Introduction (MIT Press, 2011) — one of the most widely read introductions to the field. 

“The vision propelling my work is to see quantum computers enhance the world by solving high-impact computational problems of societal value. As director of the Queensland Quantum Decarbonisation Alliance, I look forward to inspiring others, both students just starting their careers and established researchers in other fields who are curious about quantum computing, to contribute to this fascinating field. I’m excited to build on the already strong foundation of quantum science in Queensland to deepen the research around and the practical impact of this emerging technology.”
— Prof. Eleanor Rieffel, Director, Queensland Quantum Decarbonisation Alliance 

Kayla Warner — Manager 

Kayla joins from UQ’s Global Partnerships team, where she built international partnerships across North America, Latin America, and the Pacific.  She brings deep experience working at the intersection of research, industry, and government across the energy transition, critical minerals, health, education, and advanced technology sectors. 

“Joining an alliance at this stage — when the strategy, partnerships and operating model are still being built — is a rare opportunity. There’s a lot of work ahead, but the foundations are exceptional. The ambition is significant, and the foundations are strong. I’m here to help translate that ambition into high‑impact partnerships and outcomes that genuinely accelerate decarbonisation.”
— Kayla Warner, Manager, Queensland Quantum Decarbonisation Alliance 

Already on the ground 

Prof. Eleanor G. Rieffel and Kayla Warner hit the ground running with the QDA’s first upskilling event on Thursday 7 May at Customs House, Brisbane — bringing together industry, government, and research professionals for a half-day of practical tutorials on quantum sensing and quantum computing, delivered by experts from QUBIC, Griffith University, and PsiQuantum. 

More information about the QDA, its research program, and its 27 partner organisations is available here.