QCIS-FF: Quantum Computing & Information Science Faculty Fellow at the University of New Mexico

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Quantum Information Science (QIS) presents a transdisciplinary grand challenge that will require unified efforts across engineering and science disciplines, with the promise of revolutionizing future technologies in computing, communication, and sensing. With this award the University of New Mexico will hire a new Quantum Computing & Information Science Faculty Fellow (QCIS-FF) in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE). The QCIS-FF will emphasize transdisciplinary transformative research and education, breaking down traditional barriers between Engineering and the Sciences and beyond to all relevant parts of the University. The QCIS-FF will be embedded in the fertile QIS ecosystem in New Mexico including UNM, Sandia National Labs, and Los Alamos National Lab, and become a full member of the Center for Quantum Information and Control. The QCIS-FF will help lead the effort in education and workforce development in QIS at UNM, through the development of new courses, curricula, and degree programs. In all of these ways the QCIS-FF will act to advance QIS as called for in the implementation the National Quantum Initiative Act of 2018.Growing expertise in ECE is essential to progress in QIS. Key areas of QIS are traditional subjects of ECE including algorithms, cybersecurity, optimization, and machine learning. The new QCIS-FF will push the envelope and expand knowledge in these areas and in new transdisciplinary subjects. This will be achieved in a variety of manners. The QCIS-FF will help to launch new research and education initiatives, such as implementing UNM's participation in the IBM Q Network, one of world-leading eco-systems in quantum computing. This will enable Hub members to work directly with IBM to advance quantum computing, with early, privileged access to the IBM-Q commercial systems, such as the newly announced 53-qubit quantum computers. Participation in the Q Network will link our QCIS Faculty Fellow and students as part of a hub-and-spoke model of engagement with members from industry, academia, and government. Other projects include the NSF Software-Tailored Architecture for Quantum (STAQ) co-design project, CISE's largest investment in quantum computing to date, consisting of an interdisciplinary team of theoretical and experimental physicists, engineers, and computer scientists from seven universities co-designing next generation quantum computers. Overall, the Faculty Fellow will operative in a fertile QIS research environment at UNM. In education and workforce development, the goals includes new courses in ECE and a cross-listed retooling of existing QIS courses that will better serve the transdisciplinary mission. These courses will be part of a new MS concentration in QCIS, and a new university-wide PhD concentration in QIS that can be added to home departments including ECE, CS, Physics, and Chemistry. The new courses will also provide electives to undergraduate seniors and graduate students. These new initiatives will be integrated with the existing programs in ECE such as the recently established Managed Online Programs in the Internet of Things. UNM will partner with the IEEE Quantum Initiative in the planning and development of education workshops and to provide QIS teaching materials through their education portal. They will also partner with LANL Quantum Computing Summer School developing new curricula, educational materials, and mentorship of next-generation quantum computing and information scientists.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.