Abstract The U.S. Center for Quantum Technologies (CQT) is a multi-university consortium established under the U.S. National Science Foundation’s Industry-University Cooperative Research Centers program. Led jointly by Purdue University, Indiana University (both Bloomington and Indianapolis campuses), and the University of Notre Dame, CQT integrates academic research with industrial and governmental collaboration to accelerate quantum innovation. This perspective outlines the consortium’s strategic mission, interdisciplinary research agenda, and its role in shaping the future of quantum-enabled technologies through collaborative development, translational impact, and workforce cultivation.
Abstract The U.S. Center for Quantum Technologies (CQT) is a multi-university consortium established under the U.S. National Science Foundation’s Industry-University Cooperative Research Centers program. Led jointly by Purdue University, Indiana University (both Bloomington and Indianapolis campuses), and the University of Notre Dame, CQT integrates academic research with industrial and governmental collaboration to accelerate quantum innovation. This perspective outlines the consortium’s strategic mission, interdisciplinary research agenda, and its role in shaping the future of quantum-enabled technologies through collaborative development, translational impact, and workforce cultivation.
The US National Quantum Initiative Act of 2018 established a multi-agency program that aims to advance quantum information science (QIS) and promote application and commercialization. Agencies including the National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, Air Force, and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) are growing their investments. The Quantum Economic Development Consortium (QED-C) is an industry-driven consortium supported by NIST and more than 185 corporations, universities and other organizations to enable and grow the quantum industry and supply chain. This presentation will provide an overview of US NQI programs, especially those with a focus on innovation and economic benefit.
The rapid advancement of quantum information science and technology (QIST) has generated significant attention from people in academia, industry, and the public. Recent advances in QIST have led to both opportunities and challenges for students and researchers who are curious about the potential of the field amid hype, considering whether their skills are aligned with what the field needs, and contemplating how collaborating with industries may impact their research. This qualitative study presents perspectives from leading quantum researchers who are educators on three critical aspects shaping QIST's development: (1) the impact of hype in the field and strategies for managing expectations, (2) approaches to creating conducive environments that attract students and established researchers from non-physics disciplines, and (3) effective models for fostering university-industry partnerships that can be valuable for students and researchers alike. These aspects, along with several interconnected challenges, were explored through in-depth interviews with quantum educators. Our findings reveal nuanced perspectives on managing the hype cycle and its risks in creating unrealistic expectations. Regarding greater interdisciplinary engagement and attracting more non-physicists to QIST, educators emphasized the need to recognize and leverage existing expertise from other fields while developing educational pathways that meet diverse student backgrounds to prepare them for the QIST workforce. On university-industry partnerships, respondents highlighted successful models, while noting persistent challenges around intellectual property, confidentiality, and differing organizational goals. These insights provide valuable guidance for educators, policymakers, and industry leaders working to build a sustainable quantum workforce while maintaining realistic expectations about the field's trajectory.
Quantum technologies are increasingly recognized as a disruptive frontier that will shape the next generation of industrial strategies. Developments in quantum computing, communication, and sensing promise not only technical breakthroughs but also significant economic and geopolitical consequences. Quantum computing can accelerate drug discovery, materials research, and complex optimization, while quantum communication opens new possibilities for secure data transfer beyond the reach of classical encryption. According to European Commission Reports and National Quantum Initiative Act, leading economies are already investing heavily: the European Union has committed over €1 billion to its Quantum Flagship program, while the United States launched the National Quantum Initiative Act in 2018 to coordinate research and industrial applications. These initiatives underscore the strategic nature of the field. For industrial policy, they also raise important questions: How should governments design roadmaps that foster public–private collaboration? What forms of regulation or incentives are needed to align innovation with competitiveness and security? At the same time, quantum technologies could support sustainability goals, for example through energy-efficient algorithms and advanced climate modeling. Positioning quantum technologies not only as an enabler but as a driver of future industrial policy is essential. Unlike incremental innovations, quantum breakthroughs will actively shape the direction of national strategies, global competitiveness, and sustainability agendas. Recognizing this driver role ensures that policymakers and industries move beyond adaptation, taking a proactive stance in designing resilient and forward-looking industrial ecosystems.
The Quantum Economic Development Consortium (QED-C) is a consortium of stakeholders from across the innovation ecosystem, including suppliers, hardware and software system developers, end users and others. QED-C provides a broad industry perspective to the U.S. government as input to policies and investments related to quantum information science and technology. QED-C is identifying use cases for quantum-based technologies and developing strategies and roadmaps to address gaps in enabling technologies, standards and metrics, and workforce. The consortium supports collaboration among partners with a shared values from around the world.
Abstract - Quantum computing has evolved from a physics-driven theoretical concept into a rapidly expanding technological ecosystem encompassing computation, communication, sensing, and security. This paper presents a timeline-based analytical study of this evolution, examining how successive scientific and technological eras shaped the transition from foundational quantum theory to modern noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) platforms and distributed quantum infrastructures. Rather than offering a purely chronological account, the study evaluates each phase using comparative metrics such as scientific maturity, technological capability, scalability, error resilience, application readiness, and interdisciplinary integration. Beyond technical progress, the paper highlights the growing role of academic institutions in developing foundational methods and workforce capacity, alongside industrial efforts in hardware engineering, cloud-based access, and commercialization. These developments are further reinforced by large-scale public investments through national quantum missions and regional innovation programs, positioning quantum technologies as strategic components of future digital infrastructure. By integrating historical evolution with ecosystem and policy perspectives, this work aims to clarify how scientific constraints, engineering challenges, and institutional drivers collectively shape the current trajectory and future direction of quantum technologies. Key Words: quantum, timeline, global impact, hybrid, evolution
In response to numerous programs seeking to advance quantum education and workforce development in the United States, experts from academia, industry, government, and professional societies convened for a National Science Foundation-sponsored workshop in February 2024 to explore the benefits and challenges of establishing a national center for quantum education. Broadly, such a center would foster collaboration and build the infrastructure required to develop a diverse and quantum-ready workforce. The workshop discussions focused on how a center could uniquely address gaps in public, K-12, and undergraduate quantum information science and engineering (QISE) education. Specifically, the community identified activities that, through a center, could lead to an increase in student awareness of quantum careers, boost the number of educators trained in quantum-related subjects, strengthen pathways into quantum careers, enhance the understanding of the US quantum workforce, and elevate public engagement with QISE. Core proposed activities for the center include professional development for educators, coordinated curriculum development and curation, expanded access to educational laboratory equipment, robust evaluation and assessment practices, network building, and enhanced public engagement with quantum science.