Alexander Duong
What sparks a lifelong passion for physics? For Alexander Duong, it began with a childhood fascination with the universe—and led to groundbreaking research on next-generation quantum technologies. Now an undergraduate at uOttawa, he’s turning curiosity into discovery.

Alexander Duong’s journey into physics began at just eight years’ old, when he stumbled upon a video by Dr. Michio Kaku, a renowned theoretical physicist. “That first exposure drew me into physics,” he recalls. “I was fascinated by the intricacies of the universe. It amazed me that the same physical laws apply both here and billions of light years away. The more I read about physics, the more my curiosity grew.”

It was no surprise that Alexander eventually chose to study physics and mathematics—a program that perfectly matched his passion for science and aptitude for math. His academic excellence quickly stood out: in his second and third year, he received the Perfect 10 Award for maintaining a perfect CGPA of 10, along with the Armen Manoogian Memorial Scholarship for achieving the highest CGPA among first-year students in his program at the Faculty of Science.

Alexander’s research career began early through the Undergraduate Science Research Opportunity (USRO) Program. He worked under the supervision of Professor Hang Chi, an experimental condensed matter physicist in the Department of Physics. This program gave him a hands-on introduction to research and encouraged him to consider graduate studies.

Now, Alexander is continuing his work in the Chi Lab through the prestigious Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) – Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRA). “This is my first major research project,” he says. “Professor Chi has guided me through every step, helping me understand both the big picture and the intricate details. His mentorship has played a crucial role in my development as a researcher.”

Alexander Duong stands beside his poster titled “Interface Tunable Magnetism in Chromium Telluride” at a scientific conference.

Alexander’s project aims to explore the quantum anomalous Hall effect—a phenomenon in which electrons can move along the edges of a two-dimensional topological insulator without energy loss and without the need for an external magnetic field. While this effect only appears at extremely low temperatures, one of the major goals in the field is to raise this temperature threshold, paving the way for real-world applications. His research has implications for next-generation electronics, spintronics, resistance metrology and topological quantum computing—technologies that promise to make today’s devices faster and more energy-efficient.

Despite the computational challenges and complexities of handling large data sets, Alexander has shown remarkable dedication to his research. Looking ahead, he plans to continue gaining research experience across diverse topics to help shape his path towards graduate studies. Ultimately, he hopes not only to advance our understanding of the physical world, but also to become a professor and science communicator.

When he’s not in the lab, Alexander enjoys keeping up with current events, playing tennis, reading, playing piano and reflecting on inspirational quotes. His advice to fellow students? “Find or create a ‘why’—a purpose. Choose something you’re truly passionate about and believe in. Once you’ve found that, every decision will guide you toward your goal, and everything else will follow.”

Read more: