Harvard University and Amazon Web Services (AWS) launched a strategic alliance to advance fundamental research and innovation in quantum networking.
This effort provides significant funding for faculty-led research at Harvard and will build capacity for student recruitment, training, outreach, and workforce development in this key emerging technology field. The initiative focuses on driving rapid progress toward specific research aims in quantum networking at the Harvard Quantum Initiative (HQI).
Through a three-year research alliance, enabled by Harvard’s Office of Technology Development, AWS will provide support of faculty-led and designed research projects at HQI in quantum memories, integrated photonics, and quantum materials. The principal goal of the research projects is to develop foundational methods and technologies for what eventually will become a quantum internet.
Separate philanthropic support from AWS will help Harvard train and support graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, especially with the goal of welcoming aspiring scientists and engineers from underrepresented backgrounds.
A portion of the funding will also allow an upgrade to the quantum fabrication capabilities of the NSF-supported Center for Nanoscale Systems at Harvard, a critically important facility for nanofabrication, materials characterization, soft lithography, and imaging, with locations in Cambridge and at the Science and Engineering Complex in Allston.
Harvard announced last year a new Ph.D. program in Quantum Science and Engineering, and is finalizing plans to comprehensively renovate an existing campus building into a new physical home for HQI, as well as a quantum hub, a project made possible by gifts from Stacey L. and David E. Goel ’93 and several other alumni.