Joanna M Zajac, PhD, MPhys is a senior researcher specialising in photonics, solid-state physics and quantum technologies. Graduated from Southampton University she moved to Cardiff University for her PhD dedicated to polariton quantum many-body physics within strong light-matter coupling. Therein, she demonstrated a novel class of strain-compensated polariton vertical external cavity surface emitting lasers (VECSEL) based on polariton condensates in GaAs/AlAs quantum wells. During her postdoc at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, she worked on quantum information technologies. She demonstrated a novel time-triggered single photon laser diode with improved light collection efficiencies and identified fundamental limits on photon indistinguishability due to hyperfine and phonon couplings. Afterwards, she moved into industry. Currently, she is working in the group of Jason Smith on diamond quantum devices within broader collaboration with Academic and Industry partners and Quantum Computing and Simulation Hub in Oxford. She is a member of IOP (UK) and AIP (US). She is a member of a Carrier Committee and Diversity and Equality Committee at the University of Oxford and shares her experience in order to formulate more inclusive policies within universities. She is a recipient of a number of scholarships, awards and grants from EPSRC, IOP, Oxford University.