Trinity Communications Natalie Klco, assistant professor of Physics and a member of the Duke Quantum Center, has received the 2026 Kenneth G. Wilson Award “for her pioneering contributions to digital quantum simulations of lattice gauge theories.” Established with support from Physics Nobel Prize laureate Kenneth G. Wilson, whose computational approaches transformed theoretical physics, this international award is among the most prestigious recognitions for early-career researchers of Lattice Field Theory. In the early 1970s, Wilson’s formulation of lattice gauge theory enabled the use of advanced computational methods to numerically study the fundamental particles and forces that govern the universe. Now, Klco and colleagues across the world are building upon his insights to enable the use of quantum computers to simulate those same quantum fields, aiming to advance the numerical exploration of dynamic quantum phenomena that continue to elude today’s most powerful supercomputers. Presented annually at the International Symposium on Lattice Field Theory, this year’s award citation honors Klco’s leadership at the growing intersection of quantum information science and computational subatomic physics. This leadership arises from Klco’s impactful research across the quantum field simulation portfolio, including early simulations of lattice gauge theories on the first available quantum devices, the development of algorithms for simulating the gauge fields of quantum chromodynamics that extend to large-scale quantum architectures, and studies of the quantum information structure naturally present in quantum fields. "There is a deeply intertwined relationship between physics and computation that is at the heart of the lattice community," Klco said. “By understanding the capabilities and limitations of different technologies in simulating fundamental physical processes, we gain appreciation for the beautifully complex ways that Nature processes information.”