Quantum Economic Development Consortium (QED-C)

https://quantumconsortium.org/

Quantum Information Science is a hot topic in physics, and APS is active in several ways. The Division of Quantum Information (DQI) was formed in 2017 to bring together physicists working in many facets of this emerging field. QIS papers are published in APS journals, and there were many QIS sessions at the 2019 March Meeting. APS is also participating in the new Quantum Economic Development Consortium (QED-C), which is supported by NIST as a part of the National Quantum Initiative enacted on December 21, 2018. The QED-C mission is to enable and grow a robust U.S. commercial quantum industry, including for sensing, communications, and computing. The purpose and objectives of QED-C are1:

  • To support enabling technology R&D and enhance the quantum ecosystem: (e.g., quantum device components, instrumentation, and performance standards)
  • To facilitate industry coordination & interaction with Government agencies
  • Determine workforce needs essential to the development of quantum technologies
  • Provide efficient public-private sector coordination
  • Identify technology solutions for filling gaps in research or infrastructure
  • Highlight use cases to accelerate development efforts
  • Foster sharing of intellectual property, efficient supply chains, technology forecasting and quantum literacy

Several QED-C meetings have been held with participation from more than fifty small, medium, and large companies as well as several universities. Working committees have been established that include technical focus on the areas listed above. A Workforce Committee has also been formed to assess both the requirements from industry for skilled workers and to collect data for educational institutions on the courses and training resources that are being put in place. This committee is led by Steven Lambert, APS Industrial Physics Program Manager. APS is in a strong position to contribute to this effort due to our connections with industry, colleges and universities, and students. Contact Steven at lambert@aps.org if you’d like more information or if your organization might interested in joining QED-C.

  1. https://quantumconsortium.org/