Commonwealth of Massachusetts Awards $1M for New UMass Boston Quantum Computing R&D Facility

BOSTON, April 14, 2022 — On Tuesday, Housing and Financial Improvement Secretary Mike Kennealy visited UMass Boston to announce a $999,000 grant from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts that may fund new quantum computing infrastructure. The grant is from the Collaborative Analysis and Improvement Matching Grant program, an effort managed by the Innovation Institute on the Massachusetts Expertise Collaborative (MassTech), and can assist a three-year, $1,999,774 mission managed by UMass Boston in partnership from Western New England College in Springfield.

The mission will create a collaborative community among the many analysis facilities on the two universities and with three Massachusetts-based small companies: Millimeter Wave Programs, LLC in Amherst, Cohasset’s Quantum Microwave, and JanisULT, positioned in Woburn.  This community will increase the commercialization of computing {hardware} and assist workforce growth for the quantum info {industry}.

“The Commonwealth is a worldwide chief in the case of cutting-edge know-how,” stated Governor Charlie Baker. “In quantum computing, we not solely have a possibility to guide on the analysis facet, however we even have a rising, aggressive sector of firms that may assist develop new merchandise and instruments to drive innovation and we’re happy to assist this mission.”

“These new analysis facilities will present related coaching alternatives for STEM college students in japanese and western Massachusetts, giving them entry to R&D instruments which are obtainable in only some locations world wide,” stated Lt. Governor Karyn Polito.  “For our native tech firms, these new facilities will present a key pipeline of well-trained college students which are prepared to hitch this rising sector.”

Quantum computing is a fast-growing subject, with Massachusetts poised to take a management position. As highlighted by the U.S. Division of Power, quantum computer systems include quantum bits, or “qubits,” which might retailer extra info than conventional computer systems, however want super-cooled techniques to ensure that researchers to check them. The Commonwealth’s funding in these low temperature R&D amenities, will create new alternatives for Massachusetts firms to validate and check their merchandise. The elevated entry to R&D will assist shorten the product growth cycle and assist elevated pricing for Massachusetts-based quantum provide chain firms that promote into massive computing providers firms.

“By supporting elevated capability of quantum computing within the Commonwealth, we will assist native firms of their efforts to unlock new and modern developments that may have purposes in areas resembling aerospace, knowledge analytics, cybersecurity, robotics, and synthetic intelligence,” stated Housing and Financial Improvement Secretary Mike Kennealy.  “By means of this funding and by working in partnership with UMass Boston and Western New England College, we will additionally give college students a head begin by offering entry to the instruments and coaching as they appear to hitch the workforce on this necessary subject.”

The mission will fund the institution of two quantum-focused R&D amenities, offering elevated alternatives for firms and college students throughout the state:

Ø  An ultra-low temperature measurement facility positioned at UMass Boston, together with a 20 milliKelvin dilution fridge for state-of-the-art quantum {hardware} validation and growth; and,

Ø  A low-temperature measurement facility positioned at Western New England College, with a with a 50 milliKelvin fridge to develop cryogenic radio frequency (RF) microwave assist {hardware} to be used in prototype quantum computer systems.

UMass Boston and Western New England College may also make the most of the amenities for workforce coaching, serving to to create a quantum skilled workforce by introducing engineering college students with associated expertise to Quantum Data Sciences and making this coaching obtainable to engineers already within the workforce. College students will achieve expertise and understanding of the RF engineering, low-noise measurements, and cryogenic know-how wanted to understand a superconducting quantum laptop. For UMass Boston, it is going to assist broaden on current educational applications, such because the Quantum Data Certificates program inside its School of Science and Arithmetic.

“As we proceed to see, greater schooling can play a key anchor position within the data financial system,” stated UMass Boston Chancellor Marcelo Suárez-Orozco. “By aligning the mental assets of UMass Boston and Western New England with native and regional priorities, we deepen an ecosystem for making use of data and delivering options.”

“Constructing sturdy {industry} partnerships is vital to fixing the world’s best challenges,” stated Western New England College President, Dr. Robert E. Johnson. “This partnership aligns nicely with our strengths and objectives as a New Conventional College and our dedication to scholar profession readiness by way of related industry-aligned studying alternatives.”

So far, the Collaborative R&D Matching Grant program has awarded greater than $31 million to initiatives throughout the state, leveraging greater than $50 million in matching contributions from outdoors companions. This consists of 10 initiatives which have supported modern industry-academic collaborations and funding in novel R&D infrastructure to bolster the Massachusetts tech and innovation financial system statewide.

“A core objective after we reopened this program was to establish new alternatives and new sectors the place Massachusetts may play a management position,” stated Pat Larkin, Deputy Director of the MassTech Collaborative. “The proposal from UMass Boston, and their partnership with Western New England, stood out as a robust alternative to fund a brand new kind of R&D middle and create a statewide community of companions targeted on development within the quantum computing area.”

Rising industries supported below by way of the grant program embody cloud computing, marine robotics, printed electronics, cybersecurity/knowledge science, and nanomaterials/sensible sensors. These investments have led to the formation of 79 new {industry} partnerships and 54 mental property and licensing agreements prior to now two years.

“I’m thrilled to see the continued development of our know-how {industry}, particularly in partnership with native public universities like UMass Boston,” stated Senator Eric P. Lesser, Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Financial Improvement and Rising Applied sciences and Senate Chair of the Manufacturing Caucus. “If we work collaboratively and supply the suitable instruments to our workforce of the longer term, our Commonwealth will probably be on observe to take care of our aggressive edge, innovate, and discover uncharted territory for many years to come back.”

“Applications just like the Commonwealth’s Collaborative Analysis Matching Grant are what give Massachusetts a aggressive edge over different states,” stated Senator Barry Finegold, Senate Chair of the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Superior Data Expertise, the Web and Cybersecurity. “Investing within the state’s innovation ecosystem will open up an unlimited vary of recent job alternatives for residents. That’s the reason it’s essential for us to stay on the chopping fringe of technological innovation. I wish to thank the MassTech Collaborative and the Baker-Polito Administration for persevering with to spend money on these essential applications in order that Massachusetts stays a hub of innovation.”

“This grant represents a key partnership supporting the event of quantum computing within the Commonwealth and UMass Boston’s dedication to supporting this necessary rising subject,” stated Consultant Linda Dean Campbell, Home Chair of the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Superior Data Expertise, the Web and Cybersecurity. “The Innovation Institute at MassTech is persistently spot on by advocating for the important thing investments on the chopping edges of rising know-how, at all times retaining Massachusetts one step forward.”

Organizations desirous about making use of to the Collaborative R&D Matching Grant be taught extra at https://masstech.org/collaborative-research-matching-grant-program-solicitation.

Concerning the Innovation Institute on the Massachusetts Expertise Collaborative

The MassTech Collaborative is a quasi-public financial growth company that strengthens the competitiveness of the tech and innovation financial system by driving strategic investments, partnerships, and insights that harness the expertise of Massachusetts.  The Innovation Institute is the division of MassTech that advances its core mission of innovation and cluster development throughout the Commonwealth.  Created in 2003, the Innovation Institute intervenes within the financial system within the following 4 methods:

Ø  Conducts analysis and evaluation that improves the state’s understandings of unmet wants and alternatives within the innovation financial system;

Ø  Serves as convener and key strategic dealer on the panorama;

Ø  Manages high-value initiatives on behalf of the Commonwealth; and

Ø  Makes strategic investments in assist of innovation-based financial growth.

 For extra info, go to https://innovation.masstech.org/.

Source: The Innovation Institute on the Massachusetts Expertise Collaborative (MassTech)