U.S. Launches $75M Push to Advance Quantum Information Science – 3 University Centers

The U.S. has launched a $75 million effort to accelerate quantum information science (QIS) research and development, funding that will establish three Quantum Leap Challenge Institutes.

An announcement today from the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and the National Science Foundation (NSF) said the institutes will be hosted by the University of Colorado, Cal-Berkeley and the University of Illinois and will integrate resources and expertise of the U. S. National Laboratories and industry partners. Along with R&D, the institutes will also “focus on training and educating a diverse, quantum-ready U.S. workforce.”

The three institutes include:

According to the NSF, QIS as a separate discipline extends back about 20 years when scientists… ‘began thinking about the implications of combining quantum mechanics with the classical Turing computing machine.’ It’s an emerging field thought to have potential to bring on revolutionary advances in the sciences and engineering, and it involves computation, communication, precision measurement and fundamental quantum science….

According to the NSF, QIS as a separate discipline extends back about 20 years when scientists such as Charles Bennett, Paul Benioff and Richard Feynman “began thinking about the implications of combining quantum mechanics with the classical Turing computing machine.” It’s an emerging field thought to have potential to bring on revolutionary advances in the sciences and engineering, and it involves computation, communication, precision measurement and fundamental quantum science, according to the NSF.

“Quantum information science has the potential to change the world,” said NSF Director Dr. Sethuraman Panchanathan. “But to realize that potential, we must first answer some fundamental research questions. Through the Quantum Leap Challenge Institutes, NSF is making targeted investments. Within five years, we are confident these institutes can make tangible advances to help carry us into a true quantum revolution.”