(Yicai Global) Jan. 18 -- Hungarian-American computer scientist Mario Szegedy will join a quantum lab backed by Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. He will work with other experts from the firm to apply relevant theories.

The Hangzhou-based group said yesterday that Szegedy will work to advance the field at the quantum computing center of the DAMO Academy, which Alibaba announced plans for at The Computing Conference 2017.

"It is my dream to integrate all sorts of sciences and technologies together," said Szegedy. "Sciences are so intertwined -- and technology develops so quickly -- that we should be able to better exchange information and learn from each other."

The Washington-based research institute aims to integrate science with industry and apply discoveries. "I am all for that," he said. "I think it's very much in line with what I believe."

Szegedy previously was a researcher at Bell Labs and AT&T Research. He won the Godel Prize, a theoretical computer science award, in 2001 and 2005. He has studied at the University of Chicago and taught at Rutgers University.

"Szegedy is an ingenious problem solver who craves to see his work having real-world impact," said Shi Yaoyun, director of the facility.

Alibaba said in October 2017 that it would invest CNY100 billion (USD15.5 billion) on research and development over three years. It intended to use the funding on projects including the DAMO Academy.