Quantum
Leading quantum research and development.
The Grainger College of Engineering is leading advancements in quantum research and training a quantum-ready workforce for a market with a predicted worth of $2 trillion in the next decade. As a preferred and trusted partner for the nation's tech industry and venture capital community, we are uniquely positioned to serve the state, nation and world in quantum innovation. We are making discoveries at a scale few can match, enabling growth and solutions in drug discovery, finance, infrastructure, climate and more.
Grainger Engineering is proudly serving in a leadership role for the newly announced Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park, a federal- and state-funded quantum-focused research and development campus to be built in Chicago.
$150M+
in funding
65+
expert faculty
170+
graduate students
40+
postdoctoral fellows
1250
publications since 2019
News
Research Areas
Computing
We’re building computers that have the potential to accelerate solutions in logistics, finance, materials and more.
Networking
Our engineers are laying the foundation for the quantum internet, which will secure and send information in new ways.
Sensing
Grainger Engineering projects are transforming how we sense nature for navigation, medical and geological applications.
Partners, Programs & Initiatives
Illinois Quantum Information Science and Technology (IQUIST) Center
The Illinois Quantum Information Science and Technology Center (IQUIST) brings together physicists, engineers, computer scientists, and mathematicians to advance quantum information science and train a quantum-ready workforce.
IBM-Illinois Discovery Accelerator Institute (IIDAI)
The IBM-Illinois Discovery Accelerator Institute is a new model of academic-industry partnership designed to increase access to technology education and skill development to spur breakthroughs in emerging areas of technology including hybrid cloud and AI, quantum computing, accelerated materials discovery, and sustainability to accelerate the discovery of solutions to complex global challenges.
The Chicago Quantum Exchange (CQE) convenes leading academic researchers, top scientific facilities, and innovative industry partners to advance the science and engineering of quantum information, train the next generation of quantum scientists and engineers, and drive the quantum economy. The CQE facilitates interactions between member institutions and partners and provides an avenue for collaborations, joint projects, and information exchange.
Hybrid Quantum Architectures and Networks (HQAN)
The NSF Quantum Leap Challenge Institute HQAN is led by the University of Illinois' IQUIST, in collaboration with the University of Wisconsin and the University of Chicago. In addition to these three Midwest research powerhouses, which are members of the Chicago Quantum Exchange, the HQAN program integrates industry and government labs. It is one of five QLCI programs in the U.S. and is aligned with the 2018 National Quantum Initiative Act.
Quantum Sensing and Quantum Materials EFRC
The Energy Frontier Research Center (EFRC) Quantum Sensing and Quantum Materials (QSQM) is highly-collaborative spanning three institutions, with additional team members and leadership from University of Illinois-Chicago and the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. On campus, the program draws together experts in quantum information science, physics and materials science from the lllinois Quantum Information Science and Technology Center (IQUIST), from the Physics Department, Materials Science and Engineering, and the Materials Research Laboratory.
Q2Work is a three-year quantum education and workforce development program led by IQUIST’s Emily Edwards. Q2Work is a leading member of the National Q-12 Education Partnership spearheaded by NSF and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
Duality is the first accelerator program in the nation that is exclusively dedicated to startup companies focused on quantum science and technology, launched today. The program is led by the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and the Chicago Quantum Exchange. The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) is a founding partner, along with Argonne National Laboratory and P33.
As a member of Q-NEXT, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign leads and collaborates with world-leading experts and contributes to research and development in the areas of quantum information science.
QuSTEAM is a non-profit organization that facilitates the national scale-up of equitable and effective undergraduate quantum education.
“Thanks to the vision of Governor Pritzker and our many partners across the state, the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park is poised to have an enormous impact in Illinois, across the nation, and around the world... Due to the unique nature of this public-private partnership, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to make the world better through advancements in quantum computing and microelectronics.”
Harley Johnson
Inaugural director, Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park
Academic Departments
Grainger Engineering fosters interdisciplinary quantum research from the following departments.
Research Opportunities for Students
Work with faculty who are experts in quantum information science areas including materials, photonics, simulation, sensing, superconductors and more? Explore research opportunities for current and prospective undergraduate students, graduate students and postdoctoral research fellows.
40 Top Ten
We have 40 top ten ranked degree programs and specialties,
including quantum information science-related disciplines.
U.S. News & World Report, 2023 Rankings