Maria Violaris is a PhD student researching the foundations of quantum information at the University of Oxford, where she works with Chiara Marletto and Vlatko Vedral, after previously graduating with a First Class MPhys degree from the University of Oxford.
Her research interests include quantum thermodynamics, quantum measurement paradoxes, and the locality of quantum theory. Alongside her PhD, Maria works part-time with the IBM Quantum community team. She created a 14-part Qiskit YouTube video series to demystify quantum paradoxes using quantum computing, alongside blogs and code tutorials; made 1-Minute-Qiskit videos; co-hosted the seminar series; and lectured for the Global Summer School. She also writes for Physics World magazine; created and ran the IOP QQQ group “Quantum on the Clock Schools Video Competition”; and founded Oxford University Quantum Information Society. Previously, she did an internship with quantum computing software company Riverlane, where she built a Raspberry Pi Quantum Computing Lab demonstration and video. Maria frequently gives talks for a range of audiences, including researchers, school students, general public and educators, and has run many quantum computing workshops for young female audiences. She has won multiple awards for her research and science communication, and has published research on quantum education.