The Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system is putting a new focus on research into quantum technologies.
The CSCU Center for Nanotechnology, which has been operating at Southern Connecticut State University for more than a decade, will be renamed and its mission expanded as part of the changes.
Now the CSCU Center for Quantum and Nanotechnology, or QNT, the facility will serve as a hub for quantum workforce development, in partnership with QuantumCT, a public-private initiative launched in 2023 to advance the adoption of quantum technology in Connecticut.
Physics Professor Christine Broadbridge is the founding director for the center and a member of the QuantumCT leadership team.
QuantumCT is currently a finalist for a National Science Foundation for which Broadbridge is the co-principal investigator. If awarded, the initiative will receive an initial two-year NSF grant of up to $15 million and become eligible for an additional eight years of funding, totaling up to $160 million over 10 years.
“Southern’s strategic location in the second-largest biotechnology hub in New England makes this name change both timely and meaningful,” said Broadbridge. “It’s a crucial move that leverages Southern’s ability to adapt quickly and develop an agile workforce, keeping pace with the rapid growth of AI, quantum and other advanced technologies.”
Quantum technology uses quantum mechanics principles in partnership with advanced engineering. It can be applied to extremely complex problems in many fields including computing, communications, infrastructure maintenance, climate prediction and mechanics.
