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Washington, D.C. - Yesterday, Congressman Jim Baird (IN-04) and Congresswoman Andrea Salinas (OR-06) introduced the Quantum Instrumentation for Science and Engineering Act. This legislation will direct the National Science Foundation to award grants to universities and nonprofit organizations to upgrade their research facilities and improve access to research resources in quantum science. The bill will also improve coordination between universities, private research facilities, and national labs by facilitating information sharing, education, and training. 

“Quantum science is one of the world’s fastest-growing areas of scientific research and has the potential to fundamentally change how we approach many aspects of academia, business, and national security,” said Rep. Baird. “The United States has been innovating in this field for years, but we must invest more in quantum research to encourage innovation. By providing new grants for our research institutions, we can maintain our competitive advantage and ensure America doesn’t fall behind in this crucial area of scientific development.”

“Quantum science has the potential to vastly improve computing speeds and performance, sensing capabilities, and secure communications. Yet much more research is needed before we can fully realize the benefits of these technologies,” said Rep. Salinas. “This bipartisan bill invests in upgrades to research facilities and expands access to resources. It also builds the quantum workforce by encouraging universities to collaborate with community and technical colleges to provide meaningful hands-on learning experiences for their students. Ultimately, our legislation will help secure America’s position at the cutting-edge of quantum research and development for decades to come.”

“Increasing access to key equipment and instrumentation for faculty and students is key to maintaining U.S. leadership in quantum science,” said Karen Plaut, Executive Vice President for Research at Purdue University. “We support the aim of the Quantum Instrumentation for Science and Engineering Act to invest more resources to advance the field and prepare the next generation of quantum scientists.”

“Indiana University appreciates the focus on helping institutions upgrade research resources, including equipment and instrumentation, to help advance our knowledge in this exciting field,” said Dr. Dave Baxter, Executive Director of the Indiana University Quantum Science and Engineering Center. “IU commits to working with Rep. Baird to ensure this promise is realized.”

“The University of Oregon applauds the introduction of the Quantum Instrumentation for Science and Engineering Act,” said Anshuman “AR” Razdan, Vice President of Research and Innovation at the University of Oregon. “The partnership between the federal government and research universities is the foundation for much of our nation’s prosperity from innovation. UO’s Oregon Center for Optical, Molecular, and Quantum Science and Lokey Labs provide education, research, and commercialization opportunities to students, faculty, and stakeholders.”

“Quantum research and technology innovation is an exciting arena for university scientists and engineers, but there are real barriers to access the necessary state-of-the-art labs and instrumentation required to do this work,” said Dr. Irem Tumer, Vice President of Research at Oregon State University. “We know from experience that investment in NSF to support the needed instrumentation and facilities for university-led research, as well as shared access to these resources, is critical to accelerate science and to grow the community of scientists who are able to contribute their expertise. OSU applauds Representative Salinas for introducing the Quantum Instrumentation for Science and Engineering Act to directly address these barriers.”

Background:

In 2018, President Trump signed the National Quantum Initiative Act to accelerate research and development in quantum science and computing. This law authorized significant R&D development projects at several federal agencies, especially the National Science Foundation. However, this legislation did not make funds available for universities, start-ups, and private research facilities and failed to help such institutions coordinate with federal labs. This legislation will help American facilities upgrade their equipment while facilitating information sharing that will unlock innovations in quantum science.

Read the full text of the bill here.