Professor Yacoby develops new ways to probe quantum matter, creating experimental tools that reveal how electrons behave and interact within materials. His research connects fundamental questions in quantum physics with opportunities in quantum sensing and quantum information science. 

The new Chair honors the memory of Dr Ray Dolby OBE, a Cavendish alumnus whose pioneering work transformed sound recording and reproduction. Established through the generosity of the Dolby family, a permanent endowment supports the professorship alongside postdoctoral researchers and PhD students, providing a lasting foundation for discovery and the training of future physicists. 

Professor Yacoby and his group will be based in the Ray Dolby Centre, the new home of the Cavendish Laboratory, with access to advanced facilities for cryogenic measurements, device fabrication and characterisation. These facilities, together with the breadth of expertise across Cambridge, will support the development of new experiments and collaborations. 

Professor Yacoby joins the Cavendish from Harvard University, where he is Professor of Physics and Applied Physics. His path into physics began with a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering, followed by a master’s degree in theoretical physics and a PhD in experimental condensed matter physics from the Weizmann Institute of Science in 1994. 

At the heart of his research is the idea that new ways of measuring can open new ways of understanding. His group develops sensitive local probes to examine quantum behavior at very small scales, revealing properties that can be hidden in measurements of a material as a whole. This work brings together the discovery of quantum phenomena and the development of techniques to detect, understand, and ultimately control them. 

Commenting on his appointment, Professor Yacoby said: 

“New experimental tools allow us to ask questions that were previously out of reach. I am excited to develop those tools at Cambridge and to explore what they can reveal about quantum matter. 

“I find new people and environments enormously stimulating, and I look forward to working with colleagues across the Cavendish and the wider University, including those well beyond my immediate field. I hope the people I meet here will help shape the questions we ask and the directions we take. The Dolby family’s generosity creates an exceptional opportunity to pursue that spirit of discovery alongside the next generation of physicists.” 

Professor Yacoby is a member of the US National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a Fellow of the American Physical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and an external member of the Max Planck Society. 

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