In December 2024, Sandia National Labs announced a groundbreaking collaboration with researchers from the University of New Mexico (UNM) to detect “atom loss” in quantum computers. This phenomenon adversely affects data integrity and disrupts calculations.
Earlier in the same year, UNM launched the Quantum New Mexico Institute in partnership with Sandia National Laboratories.
The new campus institute encompasses several UNM departments, including Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Computer Science, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Mathematics & Statistics, and Physics & Astronomy.
Ivan Deutsch, a distinguished professor at UNM and the founding director of the Quantum New Mexico Institute, expressed to UNM News that New Mexico’s contributions to Quantum Information Science will be crucial for the technology of the future.
He noted that UNM scientists played a key role in initiating the second quantum revolution through their work at both UNM and national laboratories.
Deutsch believes that the Quantum New Mexico Institute will build upon this foundation, bringing national recognition to New Mexico for its robust quantum science and engineering initiatives.
The first quantum revolution underpins the digital age and influences technologies we use daily, such as smartphones and GPS navigation. In contrast, the second quantum revolution aims to enhance information technologies further.
UNM News also reported that the university has produced over 40 doctorates in physics, who have since become leaders in Quantum Information Science across academic institutions, national labs, and industry nationwide.
Currently, Sandia is developing a new talent pipeline through the Gil Herrera Fellowship in Quantum Information Science.
This postdoctoral research and academic fellowship is funded by Sandia’s Laboratory Directed Research and Development program. Selected fellows engage in academic partnerships between Sandia and various partner universities, including UNM.
Gilbert (Gil) Herrera, a University of New Mexico School of Engineering alumnus, was named Sandia National Laboratories Fellow in 2018.
During his 40-year career at Sandia National Laboratories, he served as the director of microsystems science and technology at Sandia.
In 2020, he was appointed to the U.S. National Quantum Initiative Advisory Committee, which advises top national offices on quantum information science matters.
In the summer of 2024, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham announced that a coalition representing New Mexico and Colorado received $41 million from the U.S. Economic Development Administration to advance the region’s quantum information technology sector.
In a press release, Governor Lujan Grisham stated that this funding represents a tremendous opportunity for New Mexico to establish itself as a rapidly expanding hub for cutting-edge research and technology.
She emphasized, “Quantum information is exactly the type of industry we want to build and expand in New Mexico, and I thank our partners in Colorado, sector leaders in New Mexico, and the entire Elevate Quantum team for this historic announcement, making the Mountain West the only quantum tech hub in the country. Once again, EDA has demonstrated its immense value as a partner for New Mexico and the region.”
Key New Mexico assets—including the University of New Mexico, Central New Mexico Community College, Sandia National Laboratories, and Los Alamos National Laboratory—were instrumental in the Elevate Quantum coalition.
The implementation of the Tech Hub in New Mexico will focus on two main aspects: establishing a facility for quantum information technology fabrication and laboratory work for translational research and commercial deployment, and developing a comprehensive quantum workforce that includes a Quantum Learning Lab.
For the first time, Sandia and @UNM researchers have demonstrated a practical way to detect “atom loss” in quantum computers, a phenomenon that corrupts data and spoils calculations.
⚛️ https://t.co/k4OD1CSfEm pic.twitter.com/BeZyzBMJiL
— Sandia National Labs (@SandiaLabs) December 19, 2024
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