🔍 Exploring America's Top Quantum University Programs

PLUS: Alibaba refocuses research efforts away from quantum

Season's Greetings! As the holiday magic begins, we hope your days be filled with joy, warmth, and cherished moments shared with loved ones.

- Melody Lee

As students in America approach the deadlines for college and graduate school applications, the search for strong programs in the growing field of quantum technology continues. There are many, many, more university programs both nationally and internationally – including, but not limited to, the University of Waterloo and The National University of Singapore & Nanyang Technological University – but there is only so many we can include! Here, we highlight a lineup of three university quantum programs (with two more for your exploration!) that are making significant impacts in both education and research.

1. Harvard University - Harvard Quantum Initiative
   Cambridge, Massachusetts
   Harvard University holds the honor of being the first university with an official quantum science and engineering university degree program, dedicated to the world of quantum computing and its constituent fields. While the Harvard Quantum Initiative is a PhD program, the quantum computing presence on the university campus remains formidable, including with the undergraduate student body. The Harvard Undergraduate Quantum Computing Association is one such organization that hosts regular talks and events with high-level professionals (including CEO’s and senior research officers) from the likes of Google AI, Zapata, and IonQ.

2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - Center for Theoretical Physics & Center for Quantum Engineering
   Cambridge, Massachusetts
   MIT has long been a presence in the field of quantum research. The Center for Theoretical Physics has a significant faculty and research lab presence in quantum-related studies. To further support such research, the MIT Center for Quantum Engineering (MIT-CQE) focuses on technical hands-on experience in quantum informational sciences. The center is the result of collaborations between the renowned MIT Research Laboratory for Electronics and Lincoln Lab. The student presence, too, on campus hosts a range of events – including one of the largest quantum hackathons in the US, MIT iQuHacks – based around promoting the presence of quantum computing in the up and coming generation of research scientists.

3. University of Chicago - Enabling Practical-Scale Quantum Computing (EPiQC) & Quantum Exchange
   Chicago, Illinois
   The EPiQC program is directed by Dr. Fred Chong, who, alongside his current and former graduate students, have gained the respect of universities and other research institutions world-wide. Furthermore, they hold a significant presence alongside Argonne National Labs, Fermilab, UIUC, and other institutions, in the Chicago Quantum Exchange, hosting internship and research opportunities for undergraduates, graduates, and postdoctoral trainees alike.

Want to check out other amazing quantum computing programs? Take a closer look at the Joint Quantum Institute at the University of Maryland, or the Berkeley Quantum Information and Computation Center at the University of California - Berkeley!

Alibaba's Shifts Focus to AI, Donates Quantum Lab to Zhejiang University

Alibaba recently made a strategic shift by discontinuing its quantum computing laboratory and team within the DAMO Academy, the company's research arm. The Chinese tech giant donated the laboratory and experimental equipment to Zhejiang University while refocusing DAMO's efforts on artificial intelligence research. Unfortunately, this decision has led to the departure of 30 staff members.

Reuters reports that Zhejiang University aims to absorb these talented individuals into its own quantum research initiatives. If you kept up with last week’s news on Zapata’s shift to AI, Alibaba's move reflects a broader trend in quantum companies realigning their research priorities.

Generative AI in… quantum computing out? Tweet us your thoughts @qmunitytech.

✂️ Snippets

• China solidifies growing quantum influence with chip sales across 5 continents

• Amazon announces Braket Direct program to eliminate waits by allowing reservations on quantum machinery

• IBM makes history on incorporating third-party products with Q-CTRL’s Embedded software now available to IBM Quantum subscribers

• OQC introduces OQC Toshiko, an enterprise-ready quantum platform

Fact of the Week

If you shuffle a deck of cards thoroughly, chances are the resulting order has never existed in the entire history of the universe.