News

The Biden-Harris administration named the Chicago region an official U.S. Regional and Innovation Technology Hub for quantum technologies yesterday. The announcement was part of the first phase of a federal initiative designed to “supercharge” innovation economies that have the potential to become global leaders in critical technology. The Technology Hubs program includes the Chicago Quantum Exchange’s Bloch Tech Hub making them eligible for funding to implement the hub’s activities.

From the Chicago Tribune, Aug. 10, 2023: This week Fermilab hosted the first U.S. Quantum Information Science school for 150 students, including scientists, researchers, college students and industry professionals. The program aims to educate the next generation of researchers on quantum device design and fabrication; quantum computing algorithms; quantum sensing; and cryogenics.

From Whitehouse.gov, Dec. 5, 2022: Last week the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy hosted the thirteen National Quantum Initiative and National Defense Authorization Act research centers to discuss the most pressing scientific and workforce challenges affecting quantum information science and the impacts and benefits of the field to society. Fermilab’s Sam Posen and Jens Koch attended the summit to present SQMS’s mission, major scientific impacts, as well their approaches to building multi-disciplinary research teams, engagement with industry, and education and outreach.

The centers are a collective force for quantum information science in the United States, driving scientific innovation, building a quantum ecosystem and fostering the future quantum workforce.

Rutgers joins 19 other contributing partners, representing national labs, academia and industry, to conduct SQMS research activities.

From Illinois Tech, May 3, 2021: Rakshya Khatiwada joins Illinois Institute of Technology’s Department of Physics with a joint appointment as an assistant professor at Illinois Tech and an associate scientist at Fermilab.

From U Chicago News, April 13, 2021: Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory and the University of Chicago have demonstrated a new technique based on quantum technology that will advance the search for dark matter, which accounts for 85% of all matter in the universe.

From DOE Office of Science, March 4, 2021: Q&A with Fermilab’s senior scientist, Aaron Chou, and his achievements as a result of receiving the Early Career Research Program.

From Interesting Engineering, Jan. 5, 2021: A recent breakthroughs in transmitting, storing, and manipulating quantum information have convinced some physicists that a simple proof of principle for a quantum network is imminent. In 2017, a number of institutions partnered with Fermilab to begin constructing a quantum network hosted at Fermilab.

From CNN, Dec. 29, 2020: Researchers are trying to harness the counterintuitive behavior of quantum mechanics to build quantum computers, leading eventually to a quantum internet. The effort isn’t just an abstract goal of academics; it has been identified by the U.S. government as an important national initiative. In this opinion piece, Fermilab scientist Don Lincoln discusses the recent quantum teleportation milestone at Fermilab and the quantum internet.