The five quantum centers have reached significant accomplishments, summarized in a new joint website, Ա羱r.ǰ.
Since their establishment in 2020, the five U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Quantum Information Science Research Centers (NQISRCs) have been expanding the frontier of what’s possible in , communication, sensing and materials in ways that will advance basic science for energy, security, communication and logistics. The centers have strengthened the national quantum information science (QIS) ecosystem, achieving scientific and technological breakthroughs as well as training the next-generation quantum workforce.
Led by a DOE national laboratory, each center comprises a collaborative team spanning a broad range of scientific and engineering disciplines. Bringing together national laboratories, universities and tech companies, the centers have developed into a strong community by creating bridges between the world’s top experts in multiple scientific and technological fields. This further enables researchers to solve major cross-cutting challenges in QIS.
Together, they unite more than 1,500 experts across 115 institutions in North America and Europe. The five centers are:
- , led by Brookhaven National Laboratory
- , led by Argonne National Laboratory
- (QSC), led by Oak Ridge National Laboratory
- (QSA), led by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
- (SQMS), led by Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory
In their four years of growth and operation, the NQISRCs have achieved multiple successes in QIS and technology:
- the and of the quantum devices
- the of quantum computers and sensors, to through innovative approaches
- and new quantum processors and at DOE national labs, universities and industry partners
- and to efficiently process data on novel quantum devices while " href="https://www.ornl.gov/news/untangling-entangled-quantum-study-shines-fresh-light-how-neutrinos-fuel-" target="_blank">exploring commercial quantum platforms and of different hardware at DOE’s quantum testbeds
- Built unique, cutting-edge to , measure, and use quantum devices, processors and
- and early-career researchers through summer schools, internships and research experiences at facilities affiliated with the centers
- Launched the , to facilitate an interconnected quantum ecosystem across academia, national labs and industry to train and
- Connected over 1,600 job seekers with hiring managers from national labs, academia and industry at the virtual
- Unveiled , a centralized digital home for the five centers that outlines the NQISRCs’ scientific accomplishments, research developments, workforce opportunities, and educational and scientific resources
In fall 2024, 200 experts from the five centers met to review four years of progress and discuss an expanded vision for the future of QIS. The event fostered collaboration and strengthened cross-center partnerships.
By bringing quantum technologies to a broader set of researchers and users, the centers are fulfilling DOE’s mission to advance science for the benefit of society.
Commenting on the successes of the NQISRCs, the Department of Energy’s Deputy Director of Science Programs Harriet Kung said, “As we mark four years of extraordinary progress, the five National Quantum Information Science Research Centers are not only continuing to push the boundaries of quantum information science but are building a robust ecosystem that spans academia, national labs and industry. Their groundbreaking work in , sensing, communication and materials is shaping the future of technology, security and workforce development in ways that will benefit society and meet DOE’s mission to advance science for the public good.”
The Co-design Center for Quantum Advantage (C2QA) is one of the five National Quantum Information Science Research Centers funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science. Led by DOE’s Brookhaven National Laboratory, C2QA aims to overcome the limitations of today’s noisy intermediate-scale quantum computer systems by co-designing quantum materials, devices, and software and algorithms. The C2QA team includes more than 350 researchers from national labs, academia, and industry working together to achieve quantum advantage for scientific computations in high energy, nuclear, chemical and condensed matter physics. For more information, visit .
Q-NEXT is a U.S. Department of Energy National Quantum Information Science Research Center led by Argonne National Laboratory. Q-NEXT brings together world-class researchers from national laboratories, universities and U.S. technology companies with the goal of developing the science and technology to control and distribute quantum information. Q-NEXT collaborators and institutions have established two national foundries for quantum materials and devices, develop networks of sensors and secure communications systems, establish simulation and network test beds, and train the next-generation quantum-ready workforce to ensure continued U.S. scientific and economic leadership in this rapidly advancing field. For more information, visit
The QSC, a DOE National Quantum Information Science Research Center led by ORNL, performs cutting-edge research at national laboratories, universities, and industry partners to overcome key roadblocks in quantum state resilience, controllability, and ultimately the scalability of quantum technologies. QSC researchers are designing materials that enable topological ; implementing new quantum sensors to characterize topological states and detect ; and designing quantum algorithms and simulations to provide a greater understanding of quantum materials, chemistry, and quantum field theories. These innovations enable the QSC to accelerate information processing, explore the previously unmeasurable, and better predict quantum performance across technologies. For more information, visit .
The Quantum Systems Accelerator (QSA) is one of the five National Quantum Information Science Research Centers funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science. Led by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and with Sandia National Laboratories as lead partner, QSA catalyzes national leadership in quantum information science to co-design the algorithms, quantum devices, and engineering solutions needed to deliver certified quantum advantage in scientific applications. QSA brings together dozens of scientists who are pioneers of many of today’s unique quantum engineering and fabrication capabilities. In addition to industry and academic partners across the world, 15 institutions are part of QSA: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, University of Colorado at Boulder, MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Caltech, Duke University, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Tufts University, UC Berkeley, University of Maryland, University of New Mexico, University of Southern California, UT Austin, and Canada’s Université de Sherbrooke. For more information, please visit .
The Superconducting Quantum Materials and Systems Center at Fermilab is supported by the DOE Office of Science. The Superconducting Quantum Materials and Systems Center is one of the five U.S. Department of Energy National Quantum Information Science Research Centers. Led by Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, SQMS is a collaboration of more than 30 partner institutions — national labs, academia and industry — working together to bring transformational advances in the field of quantum information science. The center leverages Fermilab’s expertise in building complex particle accelerators to engineer multiqubit quantum processor platforms based on state-of-the-art qubits and superconducting technologies. Working hand in hand with embedded industry partners, SQMS will build a quantum computer and new quantum sensors at Fermilab, which will open unprecedented computational opportunities. For more information, please visit .
The Argonne Leadership Computing Facility provides supercomputing capabilities to the scientific and engineering community to advance fundamental discovery and understanding in a broad range of disciplines. Supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Science, Advanced Scientific Computing Research (ASCR) program, the ALCF is one of two DOE Leadership Computing Facilities in the nation dedicated to open science.
About Q-NEXT
Q-NEXT is a U.S. Department of Energy National Quantum Information Science Research Center led by Argonne National Laboratory. Q-NEXT brings together world-class researchers from national laboratories, universities and U.S. technology companies with the goal of developing the science and technology to control and distribute quantum information. Q-NEXT collaborators and institutions have established two national foundries for quantum materials and devices, develop networks of sensors and secure communications systems, establish simulation and network test beds, and train the next-generation quantum-ready workforce to ensure continued U.S. scientific and economic leadership in this rapidly advancing field. For more information, visit ٳٱ://q-Ա.ǰ/.
seeks solutions to pressing national problems in science and technology by conducting leading-edge basic and applied research in virtually every scientific discipline. Argonne is managed by for the
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, visit .