Professor John Clarke, a distinguished Cambridge alumnus, has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics.
This prestigious honor, shared with collaborators Michel H. Devoret and John M. Martinis, recognizes their pioneering experiments that brought quantum mechanics to life on a visible scale. For the University of Cambridge, this achievement marks an extraordinary milestone: its 126th Nobel laureate.
Born and raised in the historic city of Cambridge, Professor Clarke’s journey began with an academic scholarship to the Perse School.
He then pursued his undergraduate studies in Natural Sciences at Christ’s College, Cambridge, before advancing to Darwin College for his PhD at the renowned Cavendish Laboratory, which he completed in 1968.
Today, as Professor Emeritus of the Graduate School at the University of California, Berkeley, Clarke has never severed his deep connections to his alma mater.
His ongoing ties include a Fellowship at Christ’s College in 1972, a Visiting Fellowship at Clare Hall in 1989, election as a By-Fellow of Churchill College in 1998, receipt of an ScD honor in 2003, and most recently, designation as an Honorary Fellow of Darwin College in 2023.
At the heart of this Nobel-winning work lies the exploration of quantum phenomena in everyday-sized systems—a challenge that has long intrigued physicists.
Clarke and his co-laureates harnessed superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs), ultra-sensitive tools for detecting magnetic flux, to craft electrical circuits capable of exhibiting quantum behaviors.
Their experiments vividly demonstrated quantum tunneling—where particles “slip” through barriers they classically shouldn’t—and quantized energy levels in setups large enough to fit in one’s hand.
This breakthrough shattered assumptions about the fragility of quantum effects, proving they could persist in macroscopic environments and paving the way for advancements in quantum computing and beyond.
Professor Deborah Prentice, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge, celebrated the news with heartfelt pride: “Congratulations to our alumnus Professor Clarke on this year’s Nobel Prize in Physics for his groundbreaking research into quantum mechanical tunneling.
From his childhood in this vibrant city to his undergraduate and PhD studies here, his story embodies the spirit of discovery that defines Cambridge.
He now joins 125 other trailblazing alumni and scholars, underscoring our institution’s profound influence on global science and education.”
This accolade not only honors Clarke’s lifelong dedication but also spotlights Cambridge’s role as a cradle of quantum innovation.
As quantum technologies edge closer to practical applications—from secure communications to powerful new computers—their work continues to inspire the next generation of scientists.