Judith Kreukels: A quantum leap for humankind

Judith Kreukels is the Head of Programmes at We in Quantum Development (WIQD), and it’s easy to understand why she received a special mention at the 2024 RightBrains Awards as the winner of the public vote in the Digital Talent award category. She has made it her life’s mission to address inequalities, and her soft-spoken manner has won hearts within the ecosystem. Here is her story.   

It’s clear from Judith’s academic background that she set out to do humanitarian work with serious intention. She completed degrees in International Development Studies with a specialisation in Urban Development and Inequalities, as well as in International Relations and Political History. These impressive academic credentials equipped Judith to apply her skills in her early career within a human rights organisation, where she specialised in equality issues in the Global South, particularly in parts of Latin America, Africa, and South and Southeast Asia. During this period, she had the opportunity to work towards addressing real-world issues faced by underrepresented communities. “I’ve always had an interest in other cultures and alleviating the universal issues that we experience as humans,” Judith says. “During my studies, I realised that a lot of content was viewed through the lens of Western history. I was fascinated by the legacy of colonisation on inequality from the perspective of the South.”

Taking a quantum leap

Judith’s wealth of experience, which she accumulated during extensive travels, community work and working hands-on in the sector, eventually saw her step into the role of a project manager back at the University of Amsterdam, her postgraduate alma mater. The shift to a public institution was a welcome one at the time: “The wheels tend to turn faster than in the non-profit sector, because long-term funding is steadier, and it’s not susceptible to political change every four years to such a degree,” Judith explains. WIQD landed on her desk four years ago due to her work in the space of diversity and inclusion (D&I). WIQD is a professional network in the Netherlands working in industry, academia and policy that envisions an inclusive quantum ecosystem. It aims to connect and retain underrepresented groups in quantum through support, networking, and community growth. Under Judith’s leadership, WIQD has gone from strength to strength and the project team has been expanded to include a communication officer, a project manager, and a team of about 20 volunteers who form part of the board. She is humble about this growth, however, and credits her team and those who support WIQD. When she was recognised on stage at the RightBrains Awards in 2024, she was surprised and honoured to hear that so many people voted for her during the public voting phase. “It’s not always easy to work in this field, and it’s tough to tie a metric to the degree of support for your initiative. But through the RightBrains Awards, I felt that WIQD’s efforts were validated and celebrated, and I’m happy that it opened the doors for some exciting collaborations, like being included as a partner of the RightBrains United Network.”

Getting in on the ground floor

According to Judith, quantum computing and technology are fairly new disciplines and are rich in opportunities. With this vast potential, she believes, comes the opportunity to do things right from the early days. “New degrees are being introduced in the market, and it’s exciting to learn as we go,” Judith says. “We work across industry and academia, though currently, many women quantum experts remain concentrated in the academic sector, especially in senior positions. As research suggests, many women don’t stay in the field, but the data on non-binary people is limited. We hope to support these individuals in their journeys.” Judith is constantly energised when someone approaches her to share how much value WIQD has brought to them. “Academia can still be very isolating for some people. We strive to help those who need support with navigating the hierarchy and those who need more visibility to be considered for publications. We also hope to limit issues like microaggressions, and to help address the leaky pipeline.”

Celebrating successes

It is one of Judith’s ambitions to celebrate successes – even if they are small. Nowadays, she is in more of an advisory than an operational role, and she hopes to expand the WIQD team and develop more partnerships and training on how to improve diversity initiatives, policy and culture. “One of my sincere hopes is that initiatives like WIQD will yield ever-increasing positive influence. I believe that initiatives that exist for good causes can sometimes be underestimated in the market. Through my work at WIQD and through collaborations that unite different key players across the industry, I’m confident that we will have a lasting impact, together.”  

This article was originally published in the RightBrains DIGIDIVA Magazine. Check out this year's issue for more inspiration or to get involved!