Alina Helena Sánchez Gallardo won the Overall winner of the InstituteQ’s 2026 3-Minute Thesis Competition for her thesis titled The winners were announced September 10th at the Finnish Quantum Days 2026, hosted, signaling Finland’s growing role in quantum research. The competition, judged by a panel including Jorden Senior of VTT, Aline Ramires of TU Wien, and Mažena Mackoit Sinkevičienė of Vilnius University & Center for Physical Sciences and Technology (FTMC), challenges doctoral students to communicate complex research concisely; it was hosted by Christa Schauman, InstituteQ’s 2025 3MT Winner and the 2025 3MT Winner. Clemens Lindner was also a finalist in the competition.
Alina Sánchez Gallardo Wins Prize for “Nature’s Quantum Tool”
The competition’s announcement occurred on September 10th during the Finnish Quantum Days 2026, held, establishing Finland as a growing center for quantum innovation and collaboration. Sánchez Gallardo’s work uses naturally occurring processes as inspiration for quantum solutions, potentially reducing reliance on complex and energy-intensive technologies.
Finalists Rajlaxmi Bhoite, Clemens Lindner, Pedram Yousefi, and Ashutosh Kumar also presented their research, covering topics from quantum materials to error correction with artificial intelligence, but it was Sánchez Gallardo’s presentation that ultimately resonated most strongly with the judges, demonstrating a compelling synthesis of research and communication skills, InstituteQ says. InstituteQ stated after the event, “Congratulations to the winners and finalists for their great presentations!”
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