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Virginia Tech's Quantum Center Levels Up, Generating New Research and Grants

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Virginia Tech's Center for Quantum Information Science and Engineering has reached a new milestone with the opening of its new space, solidifying the university's position as a leader in quantum research. The center, directed by physicist Sophia Economou, brings together a team of experts from various departments to investigate quantum systems and their applications. One of the center's researchers, Hisham Amer, a graduate student, has an unexpected background - he was a practicing oral surgeon before deciding to become a quantum physicist.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Virginia Tech Center for Quantum Information Science and Engineering has opened a new space, facilitating collaboration and research among experts from various departments.
  • The center is administratively housed within the Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science, with Dan Sui, senior vice president for research and innovation, attending the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
  • The quantum center has secured highly competitive grants, including over $15 million in federal funding, and is positioned to capture emerging opportunities from federal and industry partners.
  • Graduates and postdoctoral scholars from Virginia Tech's quantum program are landing high-profile jobs at companies such as IBM, national labs, and universities worldwide.
  • The university offers an undergraduate minor in quantum and hosts various quantum programs, including a summer school for high school students and undergraduates and a quantum research program at Thomas Jefferson High School in Northern Virginia.
  • Research findings from the center have been published in top-tier journals such as Nature Physics, Nature Electronics, and Physical Review Letters.
  • The center's transdisciplinary approach has fostered collaboration among faculty members, current students, and postdoctoral scholars, making Virginia Tech a global destination for quantum knowledge and discovery.

Statistics:

  • The center has secured over $15 million in federal funding for quantum research grants.
  • Virginia Tech is one of the first U.S. institutions to offer an undergraduate minor in quantum.
  • The university's quantum programs have hosted a four-day summer school for over 100 high school students and undergraduates.
  • The center's graduates and postdoctoral scholars have landed jobs at companies such as IBM, PsiQuantum, IonQ, and national labs like Oak Ridge and Sandia.
  • Research findings from the center have been published in high-impact journals, including Nature Physics, Nature Electronics, Nature Communications, Physical Review Letters, and Physical Review X.

Sources:

  • Virginia Tech, "Science news: New space for quantum," accessed 2025, https://news.vt.edu/articles/2025/10/science-new-space-for-quantum.html
  • Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science, Virginia Tech.

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