Wenrui Zhang - ECE PhD Student of the Month - May 2025

Wenrui Zhang is a Ph.D. student at UNICS Lab in the ECE Department at NJIT. He is advised by Dr. Tao Han. Wenrui joined Han’s lab in January 2024 and his research interests include Distributed Quantum Computing (DQC), quantum circuit cutting and Quantum Network (QN).
What would you say that could be the next big thing in your area of research?
In the field of distributed quantum computing and quantum networks ,a major challenge lies in the lack of high-fidelity, low-latency quantum communication technologies and compatible system architectures. For long-distance communication, the current approach relies heavily on entangled pairs, which are difficult to generate, have limited lifespans, and are highly vulnerable to environmental noise during transmission. On the architectural side, the diversity of quantum computing technologies—ranging from ion traps to superconducting qubits—poses a significant issue. There’s no unified compiler or protocol layer similar to OS, making it difficult for different types of quantum computers to communicate or work together. So considering the above factors, I believe the next big thing will be the development of a quantum computer with a sufficiently large number of qubits that can operate reliably over time, while also supporting robust communication and interaction with other quantum systems. In fact, the current task in the quantum field is mainly to develop hardware.
You belong to an academic family that has several alumni becoming faculty members. How do you find their paths inspiring?
They are all very excellent people, and I have discussed with them what a Ph.D. student really needs to do. Producing high-quality work and publications should definitely be the top priority. At the same time, maintaining a certain level of output is also important, as both will significantly boost your chances of securing a teaching position or landing a job in industry. How to do impressive work during my Ph.D. period? I think the method that Dr. Han has been telling us is very effective. We need to develop a framework for ourselves, refine it into various small tasks, and gradually complete these tasks to achieve a large and impressive result. Many times, when faced with a big goal, we often have no idea where to start and waste a lot of time. Many times, when faced with a big goal, we often have no idea where to start and waste a lot of time. Such refinement can keep us constantly moving forward
As an international Ph.D. student, how do you find physical attendance to help you keep up with your study and research?
I often talk to my friends in the laboratory, and during these discussions, I gain some very useful information. We also exchange ideas and encourage each other, which are not available outside of campus. There are also frequent activities on campus, especially seminars, which provide valuable insights into the latest research across different fields—something that's particularly important for us as Ph.D. students. Besides academic work, there are also various administrative tasks we need to take care of, which I think are just as important. To avoid unnecessary issues and handle things promptly, I believe attending regularly is really beneficial.