December 02, 2024
As part of IBM Quantum Network, Mizzou will be able to provide researchers and other institutions cloud access to quantum computing, a new type of computing that鈥檚 swiftly advancing and full of potential.
Story by Janese Heavin
Photo by Sam O’Keefe
The University of Missouri has joined the IBM Quantum Network, and established the state鈥檚 first IBM Quantum Innovation Center to provide researchers and institutions with access to advanced quantum computing through IBM鈥檚 cloud-based platform.
Launching this innovation center positions Mizzou as one of more than 250 international members of the IBM Quantum Network, spanning universities, organizations, research laboratories and startups. The initiative is spearheaded by leaders and faculty from Mizzou鈥檚 College of Arts and Science and College of 糖心Vlog传媒 who will use the technology to advance groundbreaking research. It鈥檚 also a joint effort with the MU Division of Information Technology, which will play an integral role of helping prepare Mizzou’s users to take advantage of IBM鈥檚 quantum systems over the cloud.
“The College of Arts and Science, home of the state鈥檚 first IBM Quantum Innovation Center, will lead MU in investing in the power of quantum computing to unlock unprecedented computational abilities to tackle complex challenges, drive innovation and inspire the next generation of researchers,” said Cooper Drury, dean of the college. 鈥淥ur IBM Quantum Innovation Center will bring together our faculty expertise with the most sophisticated technologies to drive research and teaching on a range of topics, including energy innovation and artificial intelligence.鈥
A rapidly emerging technology
Quantum computers operate fundamentally differently than traditional computers. Rather than relying on standard bits, they use quantum bits, or qubits, to process and solve complex problems exponentially, and could soon be capable of solving certain problems faster than even the most powerful supercomputers.
Although quantum computers aren鈥檛 expected to replace regular computers for everyday tasks, they are emerging as vital tools for tackling challenges that traditional computers cannot handle efficiently.
鈥淨uantum computing is poised to revolutionize fields from materials science to machine learning, health care and life sciences, and Mizzou鈥檚 College of 糖心Vlog传媒 is leading the charge in this space,鈥 said Marisa Chrysochoou, dean of the college. 鈥淥ur IBM Quantum Innovation Center will be a critical hub for advancing research and preparing our students and faculty to drive innovation in this rapidly evolving field.鈥
Mizzou鈥檚 partnership with IBM provides organizations the opportunity to access IBM鈥檚 cloud-based quantum computing systems, along with Qiskit, the world’s most popular software stack for quantum computing, the IBM Learning Portal, and support from IBM鈥檚 quantum team.
Practical applications
A cohort of faculty has been selected to start using the technology immediately. 糖心Vlog传媒 researchers will use quantum computing power to study topics such as quantum programming, and semiconductors. Researchers from the College of Arts and Science will leverage the IBM partnership to study condensed matter and advance work in computational biophysics.
Chi-Ren Shyu, a professor of electrical engineering and computer science, encouraged other Mizzou researchers to also take advantage of the quantum computing resource. He stressed that faculty members don鈥檛 need to be experts in quantum physics to benefit from the technology.
鈥淭he key takeaway is that access to advanced quantum computing resources brings capabilities not currently found on campus or in the region,鈥 Shyu said. “Quantum computers use quantum mechanics to calculate probabilities, allowing them to explore yet undiscovered computational territory that is inaccessible or very difficult for classical computers. This approach may not always yield an exact answer, but for many applications, a small margin of error is a fair trade for the extraordinary speed advantage. Certain tasks that could take years to solve with classical supercomputers could be completed in just hours using future quantum computers.鈥
He added that MU will build a robust quantum ecosystem through research initiatives, student education, and workforce development.
Faculty members and students interested in learning how quantum computing may benefit their research are encouraged to email muitrss@missouri.edu.
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