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Quantum Research

Quantum computer lasers running during an experiment

The University of Maryland is an established powerhouse of quantum discovery and innovation. With over 200 researchers on campus, partnerships with government laboratories, strong connections with industry and an international research network, UMD and its partners are leading the United States and global community into a quantum future.

Jump-started more than 15 years ago by a research partnership with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), scientists at UMD have advanced the frontiers of the quantum realm, which exists at nature’s tiniest scale. Here, in this almost invisible arena, particles like atoms, electrons and photons behave in surprising ways that have captured the imagination of scientists worldwide.

Today, the field of quantum research has reached an inflection point and is moving beyond laboratory physics. Scientists are now putting exotic quantum physics to work, overcoming crucial societal challenges. UMD is at the forefront of this pivotal transition, and its quantum programs have &expanded to include computer science, engineering and materials science- sparking synergy to fulfill the promise of quantum technology. 

Partnerships are vital to maintaining UMD’s renowned programs and its leadership in this fast-changing field. Built on a foundation of success, UMD has formed the Mid-Atlantic Quantum Alliance, a regional consortium of scientists across academia, national laboratories and industry. Together, this consortium will continue to lead the quantum revolution.

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Quantum News

  • New Perspective Blends Quantum and Classical to Understand Quantum Rates of Change

    There is nothing permanent except change. This is perhaps never truer than in the fickle and fluctuating world of quantum mechanics. The quantum world is in constant flux. The properties of quantum particles flit between discrete, quantized states without any possibility of ever being found in an intermediate state. How quantum states change defies normal intuition and remains the topic of active debate—for both scientists and philosophers.

  • Q-Lab Seed Grant Program to Support New Quantum Connections

    The University of Maryland and IonQ, a leading developer of quantum computing devices, are teaming up to provide $300,000 in funding for projects designed to advance discoveries in quantum science and aid in developing a skilled quantum computing workforce for the future.

  • Hartree Fellow Cultivates New Perspectives on Quantum Computing

    Quantum computers are heralded as promising tools for performing computations that are beyond the reach of supercomputers and every other technology currently at our disposal. But we are in the early days of quantum computing, and there are still basic questions left to answer: How do you know that a clever programmer won’t develop a revolutionary method that allows traditional computers to run circles around the upstart quantum newcomers? And if a quantum computer has solved a problem that no other available technology can, how can you be sure that it’s even right?

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