Virginia Tech Joins Quantum Partnership to Boost Research, Collaborations
Virginia Tech earlier this year joined the Mid-Atlantic Quantum Alliance — a rapidly growing hub of quantum technology research, development, innovation, and education led by the University of Maryland.
Virginia Tech’s involvement with this collaborative effort brings the number of universities, government agencies, national laboratories, and industry partners in the Mid-Atlantic Quantum Alliance (MQA) to a total of 24. Additional members include Johns Hopkins University, IBM, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, Booz Allen Hamilton, the University of Maryland, College Park, and Georgetown University.
The MQA’s mission: drive quantum science discovery, develop pioneering quantum technologies, support quantum entrepreneurship, and train the quantum workforce of tomorrow.
“We’re hoping to create a central network of shared experimental resources,” said Vito Scarola, an associate professor in the Department of Physics, who led the effort for Virginia Tech to join the MQA. “So, if one university has a clean room, you can travel back and forth and share equipment and resources.”
Scarola said the alliance could allow for the hiring of Virginia Tech doctoral students and post-doctoral researchers into private companies or national laboratories.