The NSF support will boost quantum computing at Luddy and IU.
The Department of Computer Scienceat the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering has been awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation worth nearly $750,000 to support research efforts in the fields of quantum simulation, quantum information, quantum computing, quantum science, and quantum engineering at Indiana University. It also will support the establishment of IU’s new Center for Quantum Science and Engineering (QSE center).
The grant supports an NSF Quantum Computing and Information Science Faculty Fellow in the Department of Computer Science. It adds important leverage to IU’s initiave on quantum computing, supported through the IU’s Emerging Areas of Research program. The EAR initative supports hiring of tenure-track professors as well as increasing the number of graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in the quantum fields and providing specific research opportunities and curriculum development activities. In addition, the initiative will disseminate curricular material to 12 historically black colleges and universities that are partnering with IU through the IU-MSI STEM initiative, an academic and research partnership between Indiana University and multiple Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) that promotes and develops the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines.
“The NSF award is a recognition of IU’s efforts in the fields of quantum computing research,” said Yuzhen Ye, the chair of the computer science department and primary investigator on the project. “It will help build a stronger team of researchers in quantum computing in the computer science department. With this award, Luddy is set to become a leader in field, providing the academic research capacity in computing to support advances in quantum computing over the long term.”
“The NSF recognized long ago the full potential of quantum research requires other disciplines beyond physics,” said Amr Sabry , a professor of computer science and one of the co-leaders of the Center for Quantum Information Science and Engineering. “Every major computer science department is investing in quantum information, and the commitment by IU toward the QSE center will further foster campus-wide collaboration in quantum computing.”
The project will enhance the computer-centric aspects of quantum information and improve the understanding of the inner workings of quantum mechanics.
“I’m delighted that IU Bloomington’s Emerging Areas of Research program has facilitated the growth of quantum information sciences and its connections to many fundamental and applied sciences on the campus,” said Jeff Zaleski, the interim vice provost for research at IU Bloomington. “IU Bloomington’s strength in quantum science and engineering will be certainly benefit from the new NSF-fellow’s presence. I have no doubt that we’ll be seeing key advances in this field.”