Edoardo Altamura
Each year, many of our graduates take up roles in science and innovation, making a difference to the local community and wider society.
This article is an edited version that originally appeared on the Manchester Evening News on 30 June 2025.
"Manchester is a place full of energy"
Edoardo Altamura's passion for science developed during his formative years at high school in Italy. Considering his next steps, he began researching astrophysics programmes around Europe and was drawn to Manchester – a city with a global reputation as a hub for science and technology. Edoardo secured an interview with the University and, after being impressed by both Manchester's warm and welcoming community spirit and the University's inspiring facilities, he quickly decided it was the perfect place for his studies.
"Manchester is a community full of talented students and mentors; it's a place full of energy, and a place where I knew I could truly absorb the work I was interested in," he said.
Edoardo read physics at The University of Manchester, then stayed on to study for a PhD in computational astrophysics. He has since secured employment as a quantum software engineer and research scientist at the Hartree Centre (STFC) in Cheshire.
"One of the best examples of how my work impacts day-to-day life, and how I believe it will benefit the communities of Greater Manchester and beyond, is my development of algorithms to study molecules which can hopefully be used as new drugs, engineering new materials for electric vehicle batteries, developing renewable energies and the optimisation of logistics and traffic routes," he explained.
"There are many ways that quantum computers can and surely will benefit the world, but their entire capabilities have not been fully realised yet.
"I am proud to have worked on projects that have put Manchester in the spotlight of quantum technologies and developments, and it's so important to continue on this mission to inspire collaboration and allow innovation to happen. Manchester is a very special place to be doing this work.
"There's a great push within my field to improve the workflows that quantum computers can use to design new drugs. Healthcare is an area where there's a great focus and investment, along with the engineering of new materials through simulation on quantum computers, which can be used in a variety of industries, for example, in designing new batteries for electric vehicles, applications in outer space, or outer space exploration itself.
"There's also a lot of hope that quantum computation may require less energy, and there are currently industry leaders working on the optimisation of the system in the hopes the entire infrastructure can use less energy, meaning we'd make more at a lower cost. There's a lot of work to be done, but we're excited about the possibilities and the benefits they could have on communities around the world.
"As part of my career, something I would really like to see happening – and something I believe can benefit the community – is the ability to form research groups and mentor people, attracting talent and investment into the area. The impact would be to recognise quantum technologies as a way to accelerate discovery in a range of applications.
"My dream is to have Manchester established as a hub for emerging quantum technologies and their applications. This would encourage more startup companies to develop, creating new jobs and exciting and dynamic career paths for Mancunians; give communities a better quality of life, and attract investments from across the UK and around the world."
Find out more about how Edoardo is making a difference by watching the video below.
Learn more about social responsibility at the University and how our graduates are making a difference in Greater Manchester.
Find out how we’re leading the world on sustainable development and read the University’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2021/22 report.
Discover more about becoming a student and studying at Manchester.
Learn more about social responsibility at the University and how our graduates are making a difference in Greater Manchester.
Find out how we’re leading the world on sustainable development and read the University’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2023-25 report.
Discover more about becoming a student and studying at Manchester.