Montana State University will open its new Quantum Collaborative Research and Education (QCORE) facility later this month. The facility, located in the EngineWorks building on MSU’s Innovation Campus, is supported by about 60 organizations, companies, and individuals. It has received $44.7 million from the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL).
The QCORE facility covers 12,600 square feet and will hold a public open house on Friday, Aug. 22 from 3 to 6 p.m.
Jayne Morrow, director of QCORE, said: “We’re leading Montana’s transformation into a global powerhouse for quantum-enabled technologies by 2035 by fostering economic growth, academic excellence and developing a resilient, future-focused workforce. These capabilities are not just for research. These investments create entirely new computing and networking infrastructure for the state of Montana.”
In addition to the open house, QCORE will host a three-day Grand Challenges in Quantum Systems Summit starting Aug. 20. The summit will feature keynote speakers Michael J. Hayduk from AFRL and Jacob Taylor from the Institute for Advanced Computer Studies at the University of Maryland. More than 25 individuals representing academia and industry worldwide will participate in panel discussions and presentations alongside about 35 companies and organizations.
Morrow stated: “The purpose of the summit is to unite with partners and stakeholders from around the world to identify and address the grand challenges in quantum systems where MSU’s ecosystem can uniquely drive solutions.”
QCORE was established after MSU received a $26.7 million grant from AFRL in 2023 that funded specialized equipment needed for testing prototype quantum components at extremely low temperatures.
According to Morrow, MSU is “the world’s first university to have a Rigetti Novera superconducting quantum computer on site,” as well as being “the first university in the U.S. with an ORCA photonic quantum computer.” She added that QCORE has one of only five quantum network test beds globally and is among only seven organizations worldwide housing both photonic and superconducting quantum computers.
MSU’s Spectrum Lab—a part of QCORE—received approximately $18 million from AFRL to build a multi-node network combining traditional networking with quantum networking capabilities.
Quantum physics explores how very small particles behave; researchers at facilities like MSU’s Spectrum Lab and MonArk Quantum Foundry are working on using these principles to develop faster electronics such as sensors, computers, location systems, and medical devices.
Morrow noted ongoing technical challenges related to component size and energy consumption: “These are challenging technical hardware issues, and that requires technical hardware solutions. Montana State University and QCORE are uniquely well-suited to help Montana’s industry address them.”
Over recent years, MSU has helped foster a network of photonics and cryogenics companies near Bozeman expected to support advances in both research efforts and private sector development through workforce training initiatives.
Part of QCORE’s mission includes supporting scientists trying to apply research breakthroughs into practical products while also acting as an incubator for startups; it also aims to provide educational programs spanning K-12 students upward through workforce education efforts across Montana schools.
“We’re envisioning ourselves as a research facility that’s really got a lot of hard science built into it, but which is also directed at meeting the needs of industry,” Morrow said. “But we also understand it’s important to connect this emerging field of quantum with the opportunities in our local communities around Montana. We have sent quantum kits to over 70 schools around Montana to give teachers resources to help kids engage in quantum systems and supported artists of all ages from around Montana to create Sunprints, which harness quantum mechanics to generate beautiful images.”
Jack Schnepf—a senior at MSU majoring in studio arts—is contributing artwork titled “The Shape of Uncertainty” as part of an installation within QCORE.
