Brandi Vincent’s synopsis shows just how far the Trump Administration has been able to take a previously whimpering U.S. Government quantum science effort. Recommend reading from the source. Because Quantum is Coming. Qubit
Two Years into the Government’s National Quantum Initiative
+ Federal agencies have a long history of exploring physical sciences and quantum-related pursuits—but previous efforts were often siloed. Signed by President Donald Trump in 2018, the NQI Act sought to “provide for a coordinated federal program to accelerate quantum research and development for the economic and national security” of America. It assigned specific jobs for the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Energy Department and National Science Foundation, among others, and mandated new collaborations to boost the nation’s quantum workforce talent pipeline and strengthen society’s grasp of this relatively fresh area of investment. The functions of the National Quantum Coordination Office, or NQCO, were also set forth in the bill, and it was officially instituted in early 2019. Since then, the group has helped connect an array of relevant stakeholders and facilitate new initiatives proposed by the law.
“I would say in five years, something we’d love to see is … a better idea of, ‘What are the applications for a quantum computer that’s buildable in the next five to 10 years, that would be beneficial to society?’” the Office of Science and Technology Policy Assistant Director for Quantum Information Science Dr. Charles Tahan told Nextgov.
+ And beyond the government’s walls and those of academia, the NQI Act also presented new opportunities for industry. Meeting the law’s requirements, NIST helped convene a consortium of cross-sector stakeholders to strategically confront existing quantum-related technology, standards and workforce gaps, and needs. This year, that group—the Quantum Economic Development Consortium, or QED-C—bloomed in size, established a more formal membership structure and announced companies that makeup its steering committee.
+ “[One of] the big things we’re looking towards in the next year, is workforce development. We have a critical shortage or need for talent in this space. It’s a very diverse set of skills. With these new centers, just do the math. How many students and postdocs are you going to need to fill up those, to do all that research? It’s a very large number,” Tahan said. “And so we’re working on something to create that pipeline.”
Source: Nextgov. Brandi Vincent, wo Years into the Government’s National Quantum Initiative…
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