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.
