The National Science Foundation recently announced their selection of 15 first-round finalists in “NSF Engines,” a nationwide competition series focused on quantum computing. One of these groups, called Quantum CT, is led by University of Connecticut science researchers.
“Securing America’s place at the forefront of science and technology requires growing innovation capacity everywhere so that we can, in turn, aggressively accelerate the pace of development of key technologies,” said Brian Stone, interim director of the NSF, in a press statement. “The NSF Engines finalists have consistently communicated their strong vision for placing their regions on the map as the national and world leaders in key technologies…We congratulate each team on making it to this stage of the competition.”
Quantum CT is a cooperative effort between UConn, Yale and a host of other research institutions as a public-private partnership. They seek to “greatly expedite the advancement of quantum technologies, leading to substantial long-term economic benefits for the state,” according to the project’s website.
While the term “quantum computing” may make you think of “Star Trek”, the field is actually grounded in the science of quantum mechanics, which explores how tiny particles behave at a subatomic level. Quantum computers use “Qubits” to process information in ways traditional computers can’t, potentially solving problems too complex for today’s technology.
“Imagine more precise GPS for land, sea and air, or a cryptography code that is unbreakable,” the Quantum CT webpage states. “Advancements in science and innovation bring us closer to this vision…our quantum future is within reach.”
The NSF’s competition is focused on “advancing technologies that maintain American competitiveness,” like in the fields of computer chip-making, artificial intelligence and quantum computing; each finalist focused on a different emerging technology area.
This isn’t the first time the NSF has been impressed by Quantum CT — in 2023, they gave UConn a $1 million development grant to research potential applications of quantum computing through the NSF Engines program. 11 of the 15 first-round finalists leveraged these two-year planning awards to “refine their visions for dynamic innovation ecosystems within their regions,” according to the NSF.
“Quantum science and technologies hold so many keys to the future of Connecticut and the nation,” said Pamir Alpay, UConn’s vice president for research and interim provost, in 2023. “Quantum CT has the potential to be transformative for science, our economy and workforce…and promotes equitability across the state.”
Alpay is also listed as the group’s principal investigator.
The NSF says they will conduct interviews and visit the service regions of finalist teams, “to further assess risks, resources and a given team’s ability to adapt to changing circumstances.” The teams are led by a range of organizations, including universities, nonprofits and industry players in 25 states.
“Over the coming decade, the NSF regional innovation engines program — led by the NSF Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships — envisions supporting multiple flourishing regional innovation ecosystems across the U.S., spurring economic growth in regions that have not fully participated in the technology boom of the past few decades,” the NSF’s program brief states.
According to Alpay’s office, UConn has 78 faculty participating in quantum science research across disciplines as part of the “UConn Quantum Alliance,” which they call a “a multi-disciplinary platform uniting researchers, educators and innovators to advance quantum science and technology.”
Connecticut is rapidly emerging as a hotspot for quantum computing businesses, according to the workforce development organization Advance CT. They say the state’s history in aerospace and defense industries coupled with high-quality research institutions and Quantum CT’s efforts to advance the technology over the course of two decades has made the state an attractive location for a “quantum corridor.”
For more information about Quantum CT, visit quantumct.org.