QLCI-CI: NSF Quantum Leap Challenge Institute for Present and Future Quantum Computing

我们笔记本电脑、智能手机和汽车中的经典计算机，以及大型超级计算设施中的计算机，已经彻底改变了现代生活。利用物理系统的量子力学行为来获得相对于现有计算机技术的革命性优势的量子计算机，将拥有比任何可以想象的经典计算机更强大的计算能力和不可估量的影响，不仅对科学研究的所有方式，而且对人类活动的每一种类型。在这种潜在影响的推动下，工业界、国家实验室和其他机构进行了几项大规模的努力，以实现量子计算机。面向当前和未来量子计算的量子飞跃挑战研究所通过解决所有人都面临的根本障碍，让学术界参与支持这些大规模的努力。此外，该研究所还提供多个层次的教育和劳动力发展--硕士课程、为从高中生到训练有素的专业人员的所有人提供的在线课程、促进计算机科学和数学教师参与量子计算的项目以及其他活动--以建立国家将需要的量子智能劳动力。该研究所在加州大学的几个校区内拥有很大的足迹，并将利用其广度和多样性将大量和多样化的人才库带入量子信息科学和技术。量子飞跃挑战研究所现在和未来量子计算的总体目标是帮助实现量子计算机。实现大规模量子计算是我们这个时代的中心科学挑战。几个根本的障碍阻碍了实际的量子计算机，包括利用量子计算机来降低一般计算任务的复杂性的算法的开发，使用目前和不久的将来可用的较小规模的量子技术来完成专门的计算任务，以及在不降低大规模量子计算所需的高保真和模块化的情况下扩大量子技术。为了应对这些挑战，该研究所动员了一支由科学家和工程师组成的跨学科团队，其中包括物理、计算机科学、化学、数学、电气工程和材料研究方面的专家。原子、分子和光学量子计算试验台的实验发展将推动和检验当前和未来量子计算技术的量子算法的理论研究。该研究所还将通过广泛的教育和劳动力发展计划，通过将学术界、工业界、政府实验室和其他财团的利益相关者聚集在一起的研究协调和合作活动，以及通过西蒙斯计算理论研究所和纯粹和应用数学研究所与计算机和数学科学界的有影响力的接触，在全国范围内促进量子科学和技术的发展。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The classical computers in our laptops, smart phones, and cars, together with those in large supercomputing facilities, have completely revolutionized modern life. The quantum computer, which harnesses the quantum-mechanical behavior of physical systems to gain a revolutionary advantage over existing computer technologies, will have greater computational power than any conceivable classical computer and an inestimable impact, not only on all manners of scientific research, but also in every type of human activity. Motivated by this potential impact, several large-scale efforts have been pursued by industry, national laboratories, and others to bring about the quantum computer. The Quantum Leap Challenge Institute for Present and Future Quantum Computation engages the academic community to support these large-scale efforts by addressing fundamental obstacles that all of them face. Additionally, the Institute provides education and workforce development at several levels -- a Master's program, online courses for everybody ranging from high-school students to trained professionals, programs to boost the involvement of computer science and mathematics faculties in quantum computing, and other activities -- in order to build the quantum-smart workforce that the Nation will need. The Institute has a large footprint within several campuses of the University of California and will leverage their breadth and diversity to bring a large and diverse pool of talent into quantum information science and technology.The overall goal of the Quantum Leap Challenge Institute for Present and Future Quantum Computation is to help bring about the quantum computer. The realization of large-scale quantum computation is the central scientific challenge of our times. Several fundamental obstacles stand in the way of the practical quantum computer, including the development of algorithms that utilize quantum computers to reduce the complexity of generic computational tasks, the use of the smaller-scale quantum technologies available at present and in the near future for specialized computational tasks, and the scaling-up of quantum technologies without degrading the high fidelity and modularity needed for large-scale quantum computing. To address these challenges, the Institute mobilizes an interdisciplinary team of scientists and engineers that includes experts in physics, computer science, chemistry, mathematics, electrical engineering, and materials research. Theoretical research on quantum algorithms for present and future quantum computing technologies will be motivated and tested by the experimental development of atomic, molecular, and optics-based quantum computing testbeds. The Institute will also promote the development of quantum science and technology nationwide through extensive education and workforce development programs; research coordination and partnership activities that draw together stakeholders from academia, industry, government laboratories, and other consortia; and influential engagement with the computer and mathematical sciences communities through the Simons Institute for the Theory of Computing and the Institute for Pure and Applied Mathematics.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.