Sonali Mohapatra completed her Master’s at Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics where she was a PSI Scholar. Now she leads the Quantum Innovation Sector at the United Kingdom’s National Quantum Computing Centre.
Perimeter Institute alumni have gone on to a wide variety of roles after leaving the Institute. Sonali Mohapatra strongly believes that science must serve society, and her work at the United Kingdom’s National Quantum Computing Centre is defining how quantum is used in areas that range from rare diseases to climate-resilient materials. We reached out to Sonali to learn more about her journey.
This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and length.
What is your current role, and how are you trying to push boundaries in your field?
As the Quantum Innovation Sector Lead at the United Kingdom's National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC), my work involves leading national programs that convene academia, government, and industry to define use cases in health, energy, space, transport, and climate and develop the quantum computing industry ecosystem in the United Kingdom to help solve complex societal challenges intractable by current solutions.
Previously, at Craft Prospect, I spearheaded the development of the world's first AI-powered Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) module for CubeSats and led the successful bid for the European Space Agency's VOLT mission, set to launch in 2026. I also streamlined the business development pipeline, positioning the company prominently in the quantum and AI space, merging with Earth observation.
My portfolio spans quantum technologies, including QKD, sensing, and computing. Collaborating with policymakers, I contribute to demystifying regulatory pathways and have co-developed courses like the Apolitical Course for Quantum Computing for Policymakers.
My approach blends deep theoretical understanding with systems-level innovation, aiming to commercialize cutting-edge research and scale its impact.
What brought you to where you are now?
Growing up in Odisha – a region where communities rebuild after every cyclone, where inspiration ran high but opportunity was hard-won – I learned early how to forge my own path. Frequent power outages became celestial classrooms where my mother taught us constellations and the logic of numbers, sparking a deep and lasting love for science. Encouraged by my family and exceptional teachers, I pursued physics (neuroscience minor), supported by national scholarships and fellowships. As one of only two women in a physics class of seventy, I learned firsthand how to navigate exclusion with resilience, and how crucial representation and mentorship are.
Being the eldest daughter in a joint family that weathered its share of hardships, I grew into the role of mentor and guide – an ethos that has shaped every step of my career. From a PhD in quantum gravity to co-founding GlobeGov and launching Carved Voices, I’ve built platforms that connect science with justice, creativity, and collective voice. I move fluidly across disciplines – between poetry, emerging technologies, and public policy – driven by the belief that science must serve society.
What are you passionate about?
Beyond my professional work, I am a poet, singer, and advocate for inclusive, intersectional futures – and also a partner, older sister, and daughter. My poetry collection, Leaking Ink, has resonated widely across India, often selling out in major outlets, and I’ve performed with bands across genres in India, Canada, and the United Kingdom, using music and spoken word as a medium of connection and resistance. As founding director of Carved Voices – Odisha’s first queer-feminist international digital magazine – I led a global editorial and design team, amplifying emerging artists and activists, many of whom have since published books or led creative movements. I’ve facilitated trauma-informed workshops using poetry as a tool for healing, and continue to consult on inclusive design and academic practice, deeply engaged in feminist, racial, and gender discourse.
How has your work impacted your industry and community?
My work focuses on guiding quantum technologies from the lab to society – ensuring they address urgent, real-world challenges. At the United Kingdom’s NQCC, I lead national programmes that define applied quantum use cases in areas like women’s health, rare diseases, cancer, antimicrobial resistance, energy efficiency in sectors such as renewables and aerospace, and climate-resilient materials. This work convenes government, academia, and industry to shape equitable, responsible quantum adoption.
Earlier, my pioneering research in QKD led to the world’s first AI-powered QKD module for CubeSats and secured ESA’s VOLT mission, initiating proof-of-concept work that is shaping global standards for quantum-secure space communications.
I’ve helped build inclusive ecosystems across continents; as founding board member of QiNDIA and advisor to the Prospero Fellowship, I’ve helped seed national STEM talent pipelines in both India and the United Kingdom. I founded New Voices in Space within Space Scotland to embed equity into strategy (enabling access to subsidized policy writing and DEI consultations for Scottish Space Start-ups) and launch initiatives like distributing 200 satellite kits to underserved schools partnering with Intel and AmbaSat to bring real world satellite building and data analysis experience.
I also co-founded Globegov and Carved Voices, platforms that empower global civic agency and amplify queer, feminist voices, respectively. As a queer woman of colour in science, I lead visibly, to widen access, build trust, and model possibility. From humanitarian response to quantum foresight, I work to ensure science serves society, not just itself.
How do you give back to your community?
Mentorship, inclusive leadership, and communication are central to how I lead. I’ve supported emerging scientists through initiatives like the Prospero Space Fellowship and QiNDIA, helping build inclusive talent pipelines for the United Kingdom and Indian quantum and space ecosystems. At the NQCC, I lead the creation of a national quantum user community, while mentoring 20+ companies through commercialization and scale-up.
As part of my roles, I’ve worked with global stakeholders and governments to advance bilateral and multilateral initiatives focused on human-centred technology, combining policy, inclusion, and innovation. I regularly write op-eds and speak publicly to translate complex science into civic language, fostering trust and engagement.
Inclusive leadership also defines my creative and advocacy work. I co-founded Carved Voices, a queer feminist magazine that elevated global marginalized voices, and helped embed DEI in Scotland’s national space strategy as part of Space Scotland’s Executive Committee.
Giving back is foundational, from co-founding a network that supported 20,000 migrant workers during India’s COVID-19 crisis to delivering 200 satellite kits to underserved Scottish schools, to now building GlobeGov. Across disciplines and geographies, I aim to build systems where equity, innovation, and community are interwoven, and where science actively serves the public good.