#quantumhub

Quantum Albuquerque New Mexico's high desert is undergoing a major economic transition as the state positions itself as a national leader in next-generation computing. Albuquerque is becoming a “quantum hub” with major industry businesses and state-backed initiatives to bridge the gap between university research and business viability.

Penn State has developed the Centre for Theory of Emergent Quantum Matter (C-TEQ) to research complex quantum systems. The University's international prestige in quantum science is rising, and this new centre promotes interdisciplinary collaboration and accelerates groundbreaking research.

With financing from the Office of the Senior Vice President for Research and the Eberly College of Science, C-TEQ was founded. The launch is intended to coincide with the 2025 International Year of Quantum Science & Technology (IYQ), a global drive to raise awareness of quantum science's impact. Jainendra K. Jain, the center's founding director, says C-TEQ's creation shows the University's commitment to the future of quantum science and honours the field's first 100 years as the International Year of Quantum winds down.

Institutional Strategy and Leadership Jainendra K. Jain, Erwin W. Müller Professor of Physics, Evan Pugh University Professor, and Eberly Chair in Physics, will direct the Centre for Theory of Emergent Quantum Matter. Institute for Computational and Data Sciences strategically manages C-TEQ under the Quantum Hub.

Five research hubs, including the Quantum Hub, were created by ICDS to foster innovation and create a university-wide network for cutting-edge research. According to ICDS director Guido Cervone, C-TEQ strengthens Penn State's quantum research leadership and builds on the Quantum Hub, which integrates quantum simulation, theory, and data departments.

Director Jain says C-TEQ aims to “create a unique collaborative structure that ignites transformative quantum research and attracts significant external funding.” The centre will facilitate cross-disciplinary collaboration to accelerate discovery. Jain noted that Penn State already has a strong quantum community, but C-TEQ will bring together researchers from other disciplines to benefit these efforts internally and internationally.

Advancing Quantum Discovery

C-TEQ focusses on quantum mechanics in multi-particle systems. The center's researchers will examine how topology, entanglement, and strong interactions create new condensed matter phenomena.

The new centre will study odd particles, emergent quantum matter, and quantum physics and AI. Emergent events in complex quantum materials are studied to find fundamental principles that could lead to novel materials and quantum technology. Quantum computers could handle complex problems that current machines cannot.

The centre uses Penn State's interdisciplinary network to bring together great people, says Tracy Langkilde, Verne M. Willaman Dean of the Eberly College of Science. Dean Langkilde remarked, “The Eberly College of Science and the highly regarded physics department are the core academic home for many of these exceptional minds, driving fundamental research that builds future innovations.

Andrew Read, Penn State's Senior Vice President for Research, said C-TEQ symbolises the university's commitment to basic research that increases human knowledge and powers new technology.

Working Together and Training

Multidisciplinary collaboration is promoted by combining quantum materials, sensing, communication, computation, and simulation research domains. Physics, materials science and engineering, electrical engineering and computer science, and mathematics faculty are involved in this crucial multidisciplinary approach.

Professor Ribhu Kaul and Marcos Rigol, outstanding Professor of Physics, are among the centre's outstanding faculty. Zhen Bi, an assistant professor of physics; Long-Qing Chen, an associate professor; Thomas Iadecola, an associate professor; Xiantao Li, a mathematics professor; Chaoxing Liu, a physics professor; Vincent Meunier, a professor and department head of engineering science and mechanics; Lukas Muechler, an assistant pro. Many centre associates are theorists and experimentalists.

Creating the future quantum workforce is C-TEQ's goal. The centre is seeking postdoctoral researchers for major quantum projects. Jain said C-TEQ will help Penn State's status as a centre for quantum research by giving undergraduates and postdocs many opportunities to work with leading researchers. Application reviews for postdoctoral research fellows will begin after December 15 and continue until all positions are filled.

ICDS Quantum Hub awards Quantum SuperSEED funds

Quantum SuperSEED

Three cooperating research teams will receive Penn State Institute for Computational and Data Sciences' Quantum Hub funding to study basic quantum physics.

Quantum SuperSEED funding was awarded to three Penn State faculty research teams by the Quantum Hub of the Penn State Institute for Computational and Data Sciences. The Quantum Hub of the Institute for Computational and Data Sciences will support Penn State faculty-led collaborative research teams.

Also see Penn State ICDS Funds 20 AI and quantum science fellows.

The effort intends to enhance quantum science, engineering, and computation by bringing together Penn State experts from several departments and disciplines to solve difficult issues. The hub will fund research projects over $500,000. The Quantum Hub is investing this money to support sixteen faculty members in three funded initiatives. Eberly College of Science and Penn State College of Engineering faculty participate. The funds will also assist postdocs, graduate students, and ICDS research equipment and computer resources.

Mahmut Kandemir, director of the Quantum Hub and a computer science and engineering professor, says the grant program is funding three projects that demonstrate Penn State's quantum strengths and ability to lead in new national fields. “With this one-year seed support, we hope that participating faculty will launch new research directions, establish long-lasting partnerships, boost competitiveness for significant external opportunities, and help establish Penn State as a leading quantum innovation hub,” Kandemir said.

ICDS director Guido Cervone said the recently founded Quantum Hub is sponsoring prominent quantum research in several scientific and technical sectors, advancing ICDS's goal. The Quantum SuperSEED grant program is funding three academic teams to study materials, many-body systems, and quantum computing to promote Penn State's quantum research. The cooperative research endeavours will use quantum science tools including simulations, hybrid computing, and AI to materials science, engineering, and computer science.

Professor of engineering science, mechanics, physics, and materials science and engineering Venkatraman Gopalan leads one of the selected teams. The institution must promote and advance quantum research, he said. Gopalan says the endeavour joins diverse experts who want Penn State to lead electro-optic quantum transduction globally. He said the funding is timely and connects quantum research and education, harnessing strengths across disciplines. He hopes this continues in the future.

Selection of Faculty and Projects: "Open Quantum Systems Beyond Markovianity:

Establishing a Multidisciplinary Quantum Computing and Simulation Community

The lead investigator is physics assistant professor Zhen Bi.

Xiantao Li, Thomas Iadecola, Sarah Shandera, and Chunhao Wang, assistant professors of computer science and engineering, are co-PIs.

“Superior Cryogenic Electro-Optical Thin Films for Quantum Transduction from Microwave to Optical” PI: Venkatraman Gopalan, professor of engineering science, mechanics, physics, and materials science.

Yang Yang, an associate professor of engineering science and mechanics; Binghai Yan, a physics professor; Yinming Shao, a physics assistant professor; and Long-Qing Chen, a math, engineering, and materials science educator, are co-PIs.

Penn State Quantum Information Science Research Gateway: Coherent Rock Salt Josephson Junctions

Jon-Paul Maria, Dorothy Pate Enright Materials Science and Engineering Professor, is Principal Investigator.

As part of Quantum Leap for Italy, IonQ co-founds Q-Alliance to establish a global center for quantum computing.

World's leading quantum enterprise IonQ joined the Q-Alliance, marking a historic partnership with the Italian government and academia. The ambitious new endeavor seeks to build a world-class quantum computer cluster in Lombardy, northern Italy.

Italy's digital growth and quantum environment aspirations took a major turn with Q-Alliance's founding. The ComoLake2025 Digital Innovation Forum marked the formal start of this strategic relationship. The partnership ensures that the new Q-Alliance works seamlessly with the existing and comprehensive national policy for quantum technology.

The National Strategic Pillars are in line with

Leading Italian scientific institutions and political stakeholders support the Q-cooperation cooperation, which blends IonQ's expertise with cutting-edge quantum technology. The Q-Alliance's long-term goals are to boost scientific discoveries, boost Italy's economy, and, most importantly, digital sovereignty.

Alessio Butti, Italy's quantum strategy undersecretary, called the Q-Alliance a realistic "model of open innovation and cooperation." He viewed the center as a powerful representation of Italian leadership during the current European quantum revolution.

The activities of the initiative directly benefit the four major pillars listed in Italy's National Strategy for Quantum Technologies. These four key areas constitute the strategy for Italy's quantum future:

Building out the country's quantum infrastructure.

Increasing industrial applications in key fields.

Quantum talent development through rigorous training programs and targeted instruction.

Ensuring the ethical and safe usage of these new technologies.

The Q-Alliance is focusing on these four areas to create a strong, impactful, and sustainable quantum environment that benefits the scientific community and the country's economy.

IonQ's commitment to industry and technology

IonQ, one of the founding creators, is donating its globally recognized leadership in gate-based universal quantum computing. Beyond computer hardware, IonQ is expanding its broad and distinctive capabilities to critically essential allied industries including quantum networking, security, and sensing solutions.

Niccolo de Masi, Chairman and CEO of IonQ, emphasized the scope of the potential, stating that the Q-Alliance enables Italy to experience a “Quantum Renaissance” that might transform not just the country’s domestic capabilities but also its influence in the wider European Union (EU).

De Masi described the venture's immediate industrial impact, saying, "The goal of this 'landmark quantum collaboration' is to develop quantum applications that can accelerate every segment of Italy's major industries." In particular, the new quantum computing hub will provide the infrastructure needed to support research, support commercial endeavors, and accelerate the development of useful quantum applications across numerous industries.

This state-of-the-art quantum infrastructure is expected to have a substantial positive impact on a wide range of industries, including key areas of the Italian economy such as financial services, materials research, medicines, and logistics. Furthermore, it is projected that quantum computing solutions will significantly accelerate sectors like healthcare, automotive, agriculture, and defense. As seen by this broad industrial reach, IonQ's industry-leading quantum computing, networking, and sensing solutions are expected to revolutionize the country's productivity and innovation.

Supporting Up-and-Coming Talent and an Open Environment

One important aspect of the Q-Alliance's design is its open and welcoming atmosphere. The center will be fully accessible to a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including individual researchers, academic institutions, and businesses interested in studying and applying quantum technology.

Long-term success for the Q-Alliance and Italy depends on their national strategy's emphasis on nurturing the next generation of quantum talent. To do this, the initiative will employ a variety of specialized programs, including training programs, internships, and scholarships designed to develop a workforce equipped with the abilities required for the quantum era.

Quantum R&D Hub

Quantinuum, the world's largest integrated quantum computing company, is expanding its operations by converting an Albuquerque facility into a research and development hub. This strategic decision highlights the Southwest's expanding role as a quantum technology hub and the company's expansion.

Cambridge Quantum and Honeywell Quantum Solutions merged in 2021 to become the company, which is currently funded by Honeywell. It has signed a multi-year lease for a northwest Albuquerque facility. The Albuquerque Journal and local business press have covered this development, but the site and start date have not been disclosed. This project follows Quantinuum's Colorado expansion and shows the company's rapid growth.

Pioneering Desert Southwest Photonics Control

The Albuquerque facility will explore photonics control first. Quantum computing requires photonic device testing and measurement. Quantinuum's quantum computing devices use trapped ions as qubits instead of photons, but lasers and other optical components are needed to manipulate and measure their quantum states. Photonics is essential to Quantinuum's hardware scalability and performance. The company wants to create test beds, small quantum computing devices, at the site to speed up hardware development.

Joining a Global Full-Stack Ecosystem

This new New Mexico research and development facility will be intimately linked to Quantinuum's global full-stack quantum computing operations. Jenni Strabley, Vice President and General Manager of Compute Products at Quantinuum, said the site will be supported by a global ecosystem of software, cybersecurity, and algorithm development teams.

Strabley told The Albuquerque Journal, “There to develop R&D for the hardware, but it also brings with us the connections to a full-stack quantum computing company, and I think that adds to the richness of the presence in New Mexico Quantinuum integrates hardware and software in-house, making it unique in the quantum business with its “full-stack” strategy.

Quantum Hub Emerging in New Mexico

Jenni Strabley stated this expansion is the first major qubit manufacturing commitment to New Mexico. The move advances governmental and private officials' efforts to establish New Mexico as a quantum technology and research hub. Quantinuum joins a growing number of cutting-edge technology companies with R&D footprints in New Mexico to position the state as a national quantum ecosystem leader.

Additionally, the extension enhances Quantinuum and its predecessor companies' longstanding links with the area. Strabley said this improved the historic partnership with New Mexico. This strengthens such ties. According to the Albuquerque Journal, the new facility displays trust in New Mexico's technological staff, emphasises New Mexico's role in the burgeoning quantum economy, and attracts corporate investment and federal research support to regional quantum projects.

Strategic Investment and Staffing

Quantinuum aims to hire at least seven people in Albuquerque by year's end, focussing on New Mexico talent. About half of these first posts are filled by the corporation. Strabley called it “significant,” even though Quantinuum has not disclosed the Albuquerque investment. The corporation plans to lease the property rather than buy it, however long-term ownership is possible. This approach fits the company's real estate strategy.