Senator Kelly Visits Wyant College of Optical Sciences & Center for Quantum Networks

Senator Mark Kelly and his team were warmly welcomed to the Wyant College of Optical Sciences on April 5, 2024 for a "Quantum Tour" to see the cutting-edge NSF-ERC Center for Quantum Networks (CQN) and the Grand Challenges Research Building (GCRB). Matt Eichenfield, SPIE Endowed Chair and Associate Professor of Optical Sciences; Julie Emms, Administrative Director of CQN; and Dean Tom Koch explained to the senator how the CQN effort is pioneering the quantum internet and working to transform computation, communication, and sensing by linking quantum computers, data centers, and devices through quantum bits, or qubits.

Dean Koch said, “We were thrilled to host Senator Kelly here at the Wyant College of Optical Sciences to share the bright future of UA’s exciting programs in Quantum Information Science and Engineering (QISE) and the new Grand Challenges Research Building.  Matt Eichenfield and Julie Emms introduced many of our QISE students and described the technical and workforce development objectives of the NSF ERC-Center for Quantum Networks.  The senator was very interested in both student careers and the remarkable new technologies that OSC is spearheading to enable quantum entanglement of remote quantum computers and sensors.”

The senator also visited the Arizona Research Center for Hypersonics, under the guidance of Dean David Hahn. The visit concluded with a visit to the state-of-the-art Applied Research Building. Read more about the visit.