Leadership

Get to know the team

Don Carkner, Managing Director at HighQ Technologies.

Don Carkner

Managing Director
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Andrew Wiles, VP of Research and Development at HighQ Technologies.

Andrew Wiles

VP of Research and Development
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Troy Borneman, Principal Scientist at HighQ Technologies.

Troy Borneman

Principal Scientist
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Rudra Maharajh, Director of Product Management at HighQ Technologies.

Rudra Maharajh

Director of Product Management
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Glen Gregory, Director of Sales and Marketing at HighQ Technologies.

Glen Gregory

Director of Sales and Marketing
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Muhammad Ayaz, Director of Quality at HighQ Technologies.

Muhammad Ayaz

Director of Quality
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Ishit Raval, Engineering Manager at HighQ Technologies.

Ishit Raval

Engineering Manager
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Austin Gamble Jarvi, Applications Manager at HighQ Technologies.

Austin Gamble Jarvi

Applications Manager
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Board of Directors

Mike Lazaridis, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Quantum Valley Investments.

Mike Lazaridis

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Doug Fregin, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Quantum Valley Investments.

Doug Fregin

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Board Advisors

David Cory, Board Advisor and quantum information researcher at HighQ Technologies.

David Cory

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David Cory

David Cory is a Professor of Chemistry & Canada Excellence Research Chair Laureate, Quantum Information Processing, at the University of Waterloo. He is also principal investigator for the Canada First Research Excellence Fund in Transformative Quantum Technologies.

David is a physical chemist working to develop quantum devices for sensing and computation. Earlier sensors have found applications in fields as varied as cancer diagnostics, materials processing for tires, improved sensitivity for oil exploration, and a sensor for dark matter searches. Startups spun out of his lab develop quantum sensors with medical, biochemical and materials applications. His current research involves magnetic resonance and its applications, spin-based quantum information processors, quantum complexity, and neutron interferometry.

David has a PhD in chemistry from Case Western Reserve University. Prior to his appointment at the University of Waterloo, he was a Professor of Nuclear Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Doug Fregin

Doug Fregin is Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Quantum Valley Investments.

Mr. Fregin served as the Vice President of Operations and as a Director of RIM until he retired in 2007. He was instrumental in evaluating various materials, fabrication technologies and design of the first circuit boards used in early versions of the company’s wireless technology that became standard in the BlackBerry.

Mr. Fregin studied electrical engineering at the University of Windsor. He was awarded the Queen’s II Diamond Jubilee Medal and is a Member of the Order of Canada. He also shares a Technical Emmy Award (1994) for Development of a Keycode Reader with Kodak and the National Film Board of Canada.

Currently, Mr. Fregin devotes a significant amount of his time and resources assisting various African Charitable Projects, including the establishment and operation of a Vocational School in rural Uganda. He also has made contributions to a number of other philanthropic endeavours, including donations to the Nanotechnology Initiative and the Quantum-Nano Centre at the University of Waterloo, as well as the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics.

Mike Lazaridis

Mike Lazaridis is Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Quantum Valley Investments.

Mr. Lazaridis co-founded and served in various positions at BlackBerry (formerly Research In Motion), including Co-Chairman and Co-CEO of RIM from 1984 to 2012 and Board Vice Chair and Chair of the Innovation Committee from 2012 to retirement in 2013.

In addition to founding the Quantum-Nano Centre, Mr. Lazaridis established in 2000 the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics (PI), where he serves as Board Chair. PI has been widely recognized as a leading international centre for Physics research, training and outreach. His efforts also have helped generate important private and public sector funding in support of the Institute. He has donated more than $170 million to Perimeter and more than $100 million to IQC.

He is a Fellow of both the Royal Societies of London and Canada and has been named to both the Order of Ontario and Order of Canada. He was awarded Canada’s most prestigious innovation prize – the Ernest C. Manning Principal Award. He also was listed on Maclean’s Honour Roll as a distinguished Canadian in 2000 after opening the Perimeter Institute, was named one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People, was honored as a Globe and Mail Nation-Builder of the Year and received the 2018 IEEE Honorary Membership.

Mr. Lazaridis holds an honorary doctoral degree in Engineering from the University of Waterloo (where he formerly served as Chancellor), as well as a doctor of Laws from McMaster University, University of Windsor, Université Laval and University of Western Ontario.

Mr. Lazaridis was born in Istanbul, Turkey. He and his family moved to Canada in 1966, settling in Windsor. At age 12, he won a prize at the Windsor Public Library for reading every science book in the library. In 1979, he enrolled at the University of Waterloo to study electrical engineering. During his last year at university, he co-founded RIM.

Austin Gamble Jarvi
Applications Manager

As Applications Manager, Austin is responsible for developing new EPR applications for structural biology research and drug discovery. He brings a strong desire to demonstrate EPR as a powerful and diverse technique and aid in its widespread adoption by the biomedical and industrial communities. He is passionate about spectroscopy and its instrumentation, and is driven to ensure the highest possible end-user experience.

Before joining High Q, Austin completed a PhD at the University of Pittsburgh, developing EPR spin-labels and their applications. This experience provided a strong foundation of technical expertise and the drive to bring this technique to the forefront of biophysics.

Austin holds a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh and a B.S. in Chemistry from Geneva College.  He has authored many peer-reviewed papers on EPR spectroscopy and the use of novel spin labels.

In his spare time, Austin enjoys working on home improvement projects, playing board games, and spending time with his wife and cats.

Ishit Raval
Engineering Manager

As Engineering Manager, Ishit is responsible for guiding the engineering team’s vision to provide advanced, effective, and user-friendly products. He is passionate about creating the best possible user experience by engaging with customers and the research team to translate complex specifications into innovative and optimized solutions through enhanced system development and testing. He also leads High Q’s extensive co-op program, in partnership with Canada’s top universities, seeking to foster the abilities of the next generation of talent at High Q and worldwide.

Prior to joining High Q, Ishit worked as Submarine Optical Systems Software Developer at Ciena, where he developed characterization and communication software used for testing underwater optical lines. He has also served as a software engineer at Global Tech, where he developed telecommunication and RF control software.

Ishit holds a Master of Computer Engineering from the University of Windsor and a Bachelor of Electronics and Communication Engineering from Ganpat University.

In his spare time, Ishit enjoys working as a volunteer at a local charitable organizations, hiking, and gardening. Also, if you want to discuss cricket, he is the right person.

Muhammad Ayaz
Director of Quality

As Director of Quality, Muhammad is responsible for ensuring the quality of the organization’s products meets the highest international standards. He is passionate about enabling customers to maximize their potential through products that are well-tested, robust, and certified. He brings more than 10 years of experience in Quality Engineering, Quality Assurance, and Quality Management Systems conforming to ISO 9001:2015.

Prior to joining High Q, Muhammad worked as Senior Quality Engineer at automotive supplier Mechtron Innovations and as Quality Management System Auditor at Canadian Solar. He is a member of the Association for Project Management in the UK, the Chartered Management Institute UK, the American Society for Quality and Project Management Institute.

Muhammad holds an MBA from the University of Derby in the UK and a B.Sc. Honours in Environmental Science from the University of Peshawar. He is a current ASQ Certified Quality Engineer, an ASQ Certified Six Sigma Green Belt, and a trained project management professional in PMI and PRINCE2 PMBOK.

In his spare time, Muhammad enjoys travelling the world, being close to nature, reading, hiking and spending time with his family.

Glen Gregory
Director of Sales and Marketing

As Director of Sales and Marketing at High Q Technologies, Glen brings decades of experience helping scientists and organizations uncover innovative solutions. He is passionate about building partnerships and making advanced science accessible to all.

In his role, Glen leads customer engagement, shapes market strategies, and drives growth initiatives to expand the impact of quantum-enabled EPR analysis in drug discovery and molecular research.

With a 25-year career spanning Thermo Fisher Scientific, JEOL USA, and Bruker BioSpin, Glen is a trusted partner to global clients across pharmaceutical, academic, government, and commercial sectors. His expertise covers a broad range of analytical technologies, including MS, NMR, and EPR, and he has a proven track record of forging strong collaborations between academia and industry.

Glen holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Biological Sciences with a Minor in Chemistry from Central Connecticut State University.

Outside of work, he enjoys the outdoors, mountain biking, hiking with his two dogs, and spending time with his family.

Rudra Maharajh
Director of Product Management

As Director of Product Management, Rudy is responsible for turning High Q’s revolutionary research developments into viable products that exceed customer expectations. He is a senior technology executive with over 10 years of experience leading efforts to bring high-tech products to market. Rudy firmly believes that the Voice of the Customer must be heard above all others and works to focus the efforts of the design team on delivering solutions that resonate with users and put the customer first. He is passionate about creating novel and transformative products that lead to better patient outcomes.

Prior to joining High Q, Rudy held several global roles with PerkinElmer Health Sciences, where his passion for improving human health was on display daily. He was instrumental in the development and release of multiple IVD mass spectrometry systems designed for neonatal blood screening. He later used his vision to pivot and adapt these systems for use in Clinical Diagnostics environments. Rudy also led the company’s efforts to establish OEM relationships to expand their Clinical MS reagent portfolio. Prior to his work with PerkinElmer, Rudy held various roles within Product Development and Program Management with Sciex.

Rudy holds an MBA with a specialization in Leadership from the University of Liverpool, as well as an Honours B.S. with a minor in Physics from the University of Waterloo.

In his spare time, Rudy enjoys playing and watching soccer. He is avid fan of everything SpaceX, loves learning about Electric Vehicles and according to his wife and children, he spends entirely too much time looking after his multiple aquariums.

Troy Borneman
Principal Scientist

As Principal Scientist, Troy is responsible for all aspects of developing the innovative technologies that enable the organization’s vision to harness the power of quantum physics, aiding scientists in creating life-saving treatments. He is an internationally recognized scientist with numerous peer-reviewed publications and patents in quantum physics, quantum control, and oil-well logging. He is passionate about understanding the fundamental workings of nature and applying that understanding to create new technologies and quantum devices that have a significant and immediate impact on society. He brings more than 15 years of innovative research and development experience in quantum computing, magnetic resonance, and quantum optics.

Prior to joining High Q, Troy was a Mitacs Elevate postdoctoral fellow with the University of Waterloo’s Institute for Quantum Computing. During this time, he led the team of researchers whose ideas and developments became the foundation of High Q. He also developed a passion for teaching through supporting and mentoring numerous students and other young researchers. He also previously worked at Schlumberger-Doll Research to enhance their oil-well logging measurements through the use of quantum control.

Troy holds a Ph.D. in Nuclear Science and Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and Applied Physics from Tufts University.

In his spare time, Troy enjoys keeping active with soccer and hiking, and nurturing his passion for music by playing guitar and piano.

Andrew Wiles
VP of Research and Development

As VP of Research and Development, Andrew is accountable for product development from initial concept through to the final transfer to production.  He is an accomplished technology leader with over 20 years of experience in product development, pre-clinical research, and business development.

Before High Q, Andrew was Director of Research and Development at NDI, overseeing new product development, early-stage technology research, and sustaining engineering for in-market products Previously, Andrew worked in business development at NDI, supporting customers in their quest to integrate spatial measurement and tracking into their platforms for neurosurgery, cardiac interventions, needle biopsy, and others.

Andrew holds a Ph.D. in Medical Biophysics from Western University, plus an M.A.Sc. and a B.A.Sc. in Systems Design Engineering from the University of Waterloo.  His academic collaborations resulted in several publications focused on the implementation and performance characteristics of different image-guided surgery systems across various surgical disciplines.  He also has several patents and patent applications.

In his spare time, Andrew spends time with his family and training athletes at the local soccer club.

Don Carkner
Managing Director

As Managing Director, Don is responsible for ensuring the organization runs efficiently and productively. He is an accomplished technology executive, with over 20 years of process and product development, commercialization, and manufacturing experience. He joined Quantum Valley Investments in 2015, and has been supporting High Q since 2016.

Prior to High Q, Don was VP of Components at BlackBerry, where he oversaw the road-mapping, selection, development, and qualification of the full product line’s electro-optical parts. Previously, Don provided manufacturing and cost modeling expertise to global clients at CH2M Hill, and was VP of Product Planning at flat panel display developer iFire Technologies. He was also Chair of the Display Manufacturing and Green Technologies committees at the Society for Information Display.

Don holds a Master of Materials Science & Engineering from McMaster University and a B.A.Sc. in Systems Design Engineering from the University of Waterloo. He has a number of publications and patents related to the design of electro-optical devices.

In his spare time, Don enjoys travelling and exploring nature with his family, developing small technology projects, attempting to play golf, and anything space-related.