NC Central University is added to IBM’s HBCU quantum computing program
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When IBM launched the IBM-HBCU Quantum Center last September, our goal was to collaborate with historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in a way that would advance not only quantum information science, but also STEM-based opportunities for these traditionally underrepresented communities. We are proud to report that this initiative in the quantum computing field is off to a fast start, as HBCUs, students, and faculty begin to explore the Center’s vast potential.
Limelight
Membership has nearly doubled in less than six months to a total of 23 HBCUs. We have created a community of students and faculty, including the start of an undergraduate research program where students are exploring quantum computation with Qiskit , and have contributed to a pre-print on arXiv that investigates the use of machine learning and quantum computing to better understand unknown quantum systems.
Expanding the IBM-HBCU Quantum Center
Today, we’ve announced a slate of new members for the Center, with 10 historically Black colleges and universities joining the Center’s 13 founding institutions. The new schools (in alphabetical order) are:
Alabama State University
Bowie State University
Delaware State University
Dillard University
Florida A&M University
Norfolk State University
North Carolina Central University
South Carolina State University
Tennessee State University
University of the District of Columbia
Distinguished faculty
In addition to this rapid growth, we are honored to have distinguished faculty as members of the Center, including Howard University associate professor of physics Thomas Searles , winner of the inaugural Joseph A. Johnson III Award for Excellence ; Serena Eley , an assistant professor of physics at the Colorado School of Mines and head of the Eley Quantum Materials Group ; and Anderson Sunda-Meya , an associate professor of physics at Xavier University of Louisiana and recipient of the 2021 American Physical Society Excellence in Physics Education Award .
Professors Eley and Searles have also received grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF) through the organization’s Faculty Early Career Development ( CAREER ) Program. The program supports early-career faculty who have the potential to become academic role models in research and education and to lead advances in their department or organization.
Inclusion from the start
The Center is a multi-year investment designed to prepare and develop talent at HBCUs from all STEM disciplines. IBM’s goals are to build a sustainable quantum research and education program by increasing the...
