Richard Alexander Norte is currently a faculty member at the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. His lab focuses on novel techniques for designing, fabricating and measuring world-class nanotechnologies which meet the stringent requirements for quantum optics and mechanics. Richard’s state-of-the-art microchip platforms have opened new avenues to explore novel industrial applications and fundamental science. Richard Norte holds a double BSc degree in Physics and Mathematics from Stanford University and a Ph.D. in Physics from Caltech. He has an early background in the general relativity theory of black holes, developed during his work at Caltech’s Physics department. In 2009, he began working on experimental realization of nanoscale optomechanics uncover the boundaries of quantum mechanics on a mesoscopic scale. Since coming to the Netherlands to work at the TU Delft, his work has been featured in Nature, Nature Photonics, Science, Physical Review Letters and on the cover of Scientific American and 2021 Advanced Materials’ Rising Star issue. Richard was awarded one of the largest personal grants in Europe — 2.1 million euros via the prestigious ERC Starting Grant to develop next-generation optomechanical nanotechnology. Over the last 4 years, he lead efforts within semiconductor industry as a director of microchip architecture, enabling a $26 million series A funding round for chip-based DNA data-storage. The Norte Research Group is part of the Precision and Microsystems Engineering (PME) department and Quantum Nanoscience department.