Belgian teen earns PhD, sets sights on medical science doctorate
Laurent Simons, a 15-year-old from Belgium with an IQ of at least 145, just earned his PhD in quantum physics at the University of Antwerp—making him one of the youngest ever to do it.
Now, he's setting his sights on a second doctorate in medical science focused on artificial intelligence.
Laurent's academic journey is nothing short of extraordinary
Laurent finished high school at eight and completed his physics bachelor's by age 12.
He explored ultra-cold Bose-Einstein condensates and black hole analogies for his master's, and even interned at Germany's Max Planck Institute in quantum optics.
Laurent's groundbreaking research and future aspirations
For his PhD, Laurent researched Bose polarons—tiny mobile impurities in superfluids—to better understand quantum excitations.
Looking ahead, he dreams of combining physics, chemistry, medicine, and AI to help people live longer.
Despite invitations from IT giants in the US and China to study at their research centers, his parents prioritized medicine and reportedly turned down offers from tech firms.