When he first embarked on research, physics and astrophysics major Xavier Dabrowiecki never expected he’d end up interning at the Chicago Quantum Exchange, a path-breaking hub for emerging quantum technologies. The center is a global leader in collaborative research on quantum science, a branch of physics that studies the elemental components of matter and energy at its atomic and subatomic levels.
What Dabrowiecki did know was that he had an early passion for research. “My initial journey through research was filled with trying out new things with different professors to try to pinpoint what I liked,” he explains.
After initially working on a cosmology project with DePaul astrophysicist Jesus Pando, it wasn’t until joining Associate Professor Gabriela Gonzalez-Aviles’ lab that he discovered a love for experimental physics. His project involved using x-ray diffraction on primate metacarpal bones, a technique that deploys x-ray beams to analyze an object’s atomic structure.
These early experiences led Dabrowiecki to the Chicago Quantum Exchange, or CQE, and his current research in quantum information science, quantum sensing, and particle physics. In collaboration with Professor Enectali Figueroa-Feliciano at Northwestern University, he is helping to create and study artificial quantum systems comprised of qubits, highly sensitive “sensors” that can super-charge the detection of subtle environmental changes at the level of atoms, ions, and photons. Unlike traditional sensors (such as a thermometer or Magnetic Resonance Imaging machine), quantum sensors detect physical quantities by measuring how they affect quantum states. An atomically engineered diamond crystal, for example, can measure temperature fluctuations smaller than a thousandth of a degree with a precision that can outperform existing technologies, particularly at small scales or low signal levels.
“Work like this explores a unique type of sensor, which, if successful, could open us up to being able to study new frontiers of physics, as well as inspire other similar projects. More broadly, quantum sensing has many practical applications, with the possibility of usage for medicine and nuclear non-proliferation; these would all benefit humanity as a whole greatly,” Dabrowiecki states.
He is currently working on developing a hybrid quantum system that pairs superconducting qubits with a high-overtone acoustic resonator, or hBAR, to build a detector sensitive enough to measure minute energy signals typical of rare events. In physics, rare events refer to infrequent phenomena that are difficult to observe because they interact weakly with matter or require very specific conditions to occur. An example of a rare event are neutrino interactions, fundamental particles abundant in the universe that rarely interact with anything and require weak nuclear force to register only the smallest amounts of energy, making them particularly hard to detect.
“Measuring these interactions is important because neutrinos carry information about some of the most extreme and distant processes in the universe, such as nuclear reactions in stars, supernova explosions, and even processes from the early universe. Detecting neutrinos also potentially plays an important role in securing the nation against nuclear threats,” Dabrowiecki asserts.
Working on the computational side of the project, he runs simulations to predict how well the devices function and collects valuable data about their properties. His work connects local, national, and global research in this area and has led to talks and abstract submissions at the Open Quantum Initiative Research Symposium, Chicago Quantum Summit, and 2026 American Physical Society Global Summit.
So, what was it like working in one of the world’s most renown quantum research labs? Dabrowiecki found the experience both humbling and incredibly welcoming. Through his research group at CQE, he had the chance to be part of the national Fermilab conglomerate Cosmic Quantum, something he never anticipated. “Being able to work in large groups and on multi-institution experimental setups was something I never experienced before…The CQE as a whole is very appealing to researchers with limited experience in quantum, which I appreciated,” he shares.
Dabrowiecki acknowledges that he wouldn’t be on this path without the strong academic and research foundation he’s received at DePaul. “This experience actively built on all the skills I developed across working with professors here at my department. Without an initial basis that I got from these projects, I would have never been able to succeed in the Quantum Exchange as well as I have,” he says.
As he applies to graduate programs, Dabrowiecki feels fortunate to have so much clarity about his future goals.
“The CQE and DePaul experiences I had have really helped in feeling confident about wanting to go to graduate school and being very sure that this is the field I want to do,” he says.