Washington, DC – U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $1,549,179 in federal funding for quantum computing research at the University of Rochester. The funding was allocated through the National Science Foundation (NSF). These funds will allow researchers at the university to further investigate the many challenges of working with and stabilizing quantum particles, called qubits. Additionally, the funding will be used by the University of Rochester to produce educational materials and develop classes in the realm of engineering and quantum computing for students from high school to the graduate level.
“This federal investment will allow the University of Rochester—one of the world’s leading research universities and a hub of scientific innovation—to become even more of a leader in the burgeoning field of quantum computing that’s brimming with job-creating potential,” said Senator Schumer. “This funding will support the university’s crucial work in the realm of quantum computing, so we can spur new innovation, prepare the quantum computing workforce of the future and continue to push the boundaries of what our computers can do. I’m proud to announce this well-deserved federal investment, which will help the United States make a quantum leap in computing science’s next frontier.”
“The world-class scientists at the University of Rochester produce ground-breaking discoveries that help advance our knowledge of the sciences, and this new federal funding will allow the university to continue that tradition,” said Senator Gillibrand. “By studying how quantum particles work, this research could change the way we work with computers; and by ensuring that students have access to this research, the University is preparing the future of New York’s scientific workforce. I’m proud to announce this funding for the University of Rochester and I will always fight for the resources that New York’s universities need to succeed.”
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering. NSF funds reach all 50 states through grants to nearly 2,000 colleges, universities and other institutions. Each year, NSF receives more than 48,000 competitive proposals for funding and makes about 12,000 new funding awards. NSF also awards about $626 million in professional and service contracts yearly.