Denise Dresser
Renowned Mexican Political Scientist, Writer, and Activist | Professor of Political Science, ITAM | Legion of Honor Recipient | Bestselling Author
John Clarke
2025 Nobel Laureate in Physics | Professor Emeritus, UC Berkeley | Pioneer of Quantum Computing & Superconducting Electronics
A 2025 Nobel Laureate in Physics, John Clarke led the Berkeley experiments that proved quantum behavior exists at macroscopic scale — laying the physical foundation for today's quantum computers. The "godfather of superconducting electronics," his work on SQUIDs and Josephson junctions now underpins everything from dark matter detection to qubit readout. Audiences gain rare first-hand insight into how transformative science actually happens.
Want to book John Clarke as a speaker for your event? Please provide the info below and we’ll get in touch within 24h:
John Clarke biography
John Clarke is a 2025 Nobel Laureate in Physics whose foundational experiments helped unlock the quantum world at a scale that engineers could actually build with. Professor Emeritus of Physics at the University of California, Berkeley — where he has been on faculty since 1969 — Clarke is widely regarded as one of the most consequential experimental physicists of his generation. His former colleague Steven Girvin has called him “the godfather of superconducting electronics.”
Nobel Prize speaker John Clarke is best known for leading the Berkeley team that, in landmark experiments conducted in 1984 and 1985, demonstrated that quantum mechanical behavior — long thought to be exclusive to the atomic and subatomic realm — could be observed at a macroscopic scale in an electrical circuit. Working alongside Michel H. Devoret and John M. Martinis, Clarke designed a superconducting circuit incorporating a Josephson junction and proved that the system underwent both quantum tunneling and discrete energy quantization. This discovery became the experimental cornerstone of circuit quantum electrodynamics and laid the physical foundation for the superconducting qubits now powering many of the world’s leading quantum computers.
Clarke received his B.A. in Physics from Cambridge University in 1964 and completed his Ph.D. in 1968 at the Cavendish Laboratory — the same institution that produced a long lineage of Nobel laureates. He joined UC Berkeley the following year and built one of the world’s foremost laboratories for superconducting electronics. His honors include Fellowship in the Royal Society of London, the Fritz London Memorial Award for low-temperature physics, the National Academy of Sciences Comstock Prize in Physics, the Hughes Medal, and the UC Berkeley Distinguished Teaching Award.
The Science Behind the Quantum Computing Revolution
Beyond the Nobel-winning experiments, Clarke is the architect of transformative work on Superconducting Quantum Interference Devices, or SQUIDs — ultrasensitive detectors of magnetic flux capable of measuring fields 100 billion times smaller than those produced by an ordinary refrigerator magnet. SQUIDs have found applications across geophysics, biomedical imaging, materials evaluation, and brain mapping. Clarke has also led collaboration with the Axion Dark Matter Experiment (ADMX), for which he developed low-noise quantum amplifiers now used both in dark matter searches and to read out qubits in quantum computers.
As a speaker, John Clarke brings one of science’s most extraordinary living stories directly to senior audiences — the unlikely chain from a Cambridge laboratory to the architecture of tomorrow’s most powerful computers. He speaks with the precision of a career experimentalist and the perspective of someone who worked on foundational discoveries decades before the world understood their full implications. Organizations working on deep technology, quantum strategy, innovation culture, or the future of computing gain rare first-hand insight into how paradigm-shifting science actually gets done — and what it means for the decisions they face today.
John Clarke Speaking Videos
2025 Nobel Prize lectures in physics | John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret and John M. Martinis
LIVE: 2025 Nobel laureate in physics John Clarke speaks
John Clarke Keynote Topics
In this keynote, Clarke takes audiences inside the landmark 1984–1985 experiments that proved quantum behavior could be harnessed in an everyday electrical circuit. He explains — without requiring a physics background — why those findings were so unexpected, what the research team actually went through, and how a series of carefully designed laboratory tests became the physical blueprint for the quantum computers now being built by Google, IBM, and others. Equal parts science history and forward-looking strategy, this talk transforms abstract quantum concepts into concrete implications for technology leaders.
Drawing on over five decades at the frontier of experimental physics, Clarke makes the case for why fundamental scientific inquiry — often dismissed as impractical — consistently produces the most consequential technologies. Using his own career as a thread, he traces the unexpected path from superconducting circuits to quantum computing and dark matter detection, offering a compelling framework for how organizations should think about long-horizon research investment. A powerful talk for R&D leaders, policymakers, and innovators who need to articulate the value of science that won't pay off for decades.
Clarke explores the extraordinary sensitivity of superconducting quantum interference devices and the remarkable range of problems they help solve — from mapping the magnetic fields of the human brain to hunting for dark matter in the universe. This keynote bridges cutting-edge physics and real-world application, showing how the same quantum principles that underlie a quantum computer also enable medical breakthroughs and cosmological discovery. Ideal for science-forward audiences curious about where the boundaries of human knowledge currently stand.
Speaker topics
FAQs on Booking John Clarke
Why John Clarke?
Booking John Clarke for your event is a rare opportunity to bring a living Nobel laureate to your stage — one whose work is directly responsible for the physical principles underlying today's quantum computers. As the leader of the UC Berkeley team that demonstrated macroscopic quantum tunneling in 1984 and 1985, Clarke offers an unmatched perspective on how foundational science translates into transformative technology. He speaks with clarity and depth on quantum computing, superconductivity, scientific innovation, and the long arc from basic research to real-world impact. For organizations navigating the quantum era — from technology companies to financial institutions to government bodies — Clarke delivers not just credentials, but the kind of authentic insight that can only come from decades at the frontier. Aurum Speakers Bureau is proud to represent John Clarke for keynote bookings worldwide.
What did John Clarke win the Nobel Prize for?
John Clarke was awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics jointly with Michel H. Devoret and John M. Martinis for the discovery of macroscopic quantum mechanical tunneling and energy quantization in an electric circuit. In experiments conducted in 1984 and 1985, the three physicists demonstrated that quantum mechanical properties — previously only observed at the atomic scale — could be reproduced in a superconducting electrical circuit. This discovery became the foundation for circuit quantum electrodynamics and, ultimately, for the superconducting qubit technology that powers many of today's most advanced quantum computers.
What is a SQUID and why does it matter?
A SQUID — Superconducting Quantum Interference Device — is an ultrasensitive detector of magnetic flux, and John Clarke is among the world's foremost experts in their design and application. SQUIDs can detect magnetic fields 100 billion times smaller than those produced by a standard refrigerator magnet, enabling breakthroughs in biomedical imaging, brain mapping, geophysics, and materials science. Clarke's SQUID-based quantum amplifiers have also been adopted to read out qubits in quantum computers and are central to the Axion Dark Matter Experiment (ADMX), a major ongoing effort to detect a leading dark matter candidate.
What topics does Nobel Prize speaker John Clarke cover?
John Clarke speaks on the science and implications of quantum computing, the history and future of superconducting technology, the nature of scientific discovery, and the journey from fundamental research to world-changing application. His talks are particularly valuable for audiences in deep technology, advanced computing, R&D strategy, and science policy — as well as for any organization seeking to understand the physical foundations of the quantum era. To book John Clarke for your next event, contact Aurum Speakers Bureau.
How to book John Clarke as a keynote speaker?
Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book John Clarke as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about John Clarke's availability for a speaking engagement. One of our booking agents will respond to your request immediately and contact the speaker to let them know you want to hire them. We will assist you with obtaining speaking fees, booking information, and confirming availability for John Clarke or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.
How much is John Clarke speaking fee?
John Clarke speaking fees are determined by several factors, including the event's date, whether it's a virtual or in-person event, the duration, format, preparation required for their speech, and more. The same applies to the cost to hire any other top expert speakers and celebrities. The Speaker Fee Range listed on our website is simply a guideline and is subject to change without notice. If you would like to hire John Clarke to deliver a keynote speech for your event, please fill out the contact form or email us at info@aurumbureau.com with as much detail as possible. One of our experienced agents will get in touch with you and let you know exactly how much it will cost to book John Clarke.
How can I contact John Clarke?
We only work with John Clarke on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking John Clarke and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having John Clarke speak at your event. We will be your sole point of contact throughout the process. Get in touch with Aurum Speakers Bureau today, and we will reach out to any motivational speaker or celebrity you want to enquire about speaking at your event. If you wish to contact John Clarke for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.
Can I book John Clarke for a virtual keynote?
Yes, John Clarke is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book John Clarke for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
