REU Site: Quantum Information Science and Engineering

The field of Quantum Information Science and Engineering (QISE) seeks to leverage the principles of quantum mechanics to unlock new applications in computation, communication, and sensing. The field is rapidly growing and has been identified as a priority for the United States as part of the National Quantum Initiative. Training the next generation of researchers in academia and industry is key to addressing the many fundamental scientific and engineering challenges that lie ahead, and to maintaining the United States leadership in QISE. This REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) Site will help address a critical component in the training pipeline of the US QISE research workforce by providing undergraduate students an opportunity to engage in a wide spectrum of interdisciplinary QISE research. The program will also aim to broaden participation in QISE demographically, aiming to have at least half of the students in each cohort be from underrepresented groups. Students will participate in projects ranging from theory and applications (quantum algorithms, cryptography, and complexity theory) to experiments (quantum simulation, and quantum hardware technologies and architectures). The program aims to equip students with the skills and experience they need to engage in QISE research at the graduate level and beyond, and to tackle the important challenges ahead (from fundamental questions in quantum information theory and applications, to the realization of quantum devices). Towards this goal, the program will also provide opportunities for professional development by leveraging the University of Washington’s connections to the quantum industry in the greater Seattle area. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.