UCSB has reiterated its commitment to leading the quantum revolution. On March 2026, the Eddleman Quantum Institute (EQI) announced a large fundraising round to accelerate campus-wide high-stakes quantum research. This grant will help senior professors and undergraduates solve the largest physics and materials science concerns.
The Eddleman Quantum Institute, formerly the Eddleman Center for Quantum Innovation, was founded in 2020 by the late tech businessman Roy Eddleman, who wanted to advance human understanding. Eddleman established a legacy based on the belief that quantum sciences are the next big leap in human understanding. His trust has given UCSB, Caltech, and UC Irvine a total of $64.7 million, supporting a cooperative “quantum corridor” in Southern California that seeks to translate theoretical ideas into useful technologies.
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A Legacy of Excellence and a Nobel Milestone
The standing of UCSB as a premier center for quantum research is well-deserved. “UC Santa Barbara is one of the leading universities in the world who understands [quantum science] better than practically everyone,” as Roy Eddleman himself stated in 2021. The campus has strengthened its leadership by developing LEDs, ultra-high sensitivity sensors, quantum computing circuits, and other photonic and optical goods.
When UCSB physics professors Michel Devoret and John Martinis received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2025, this sentiment was brilliantly vindicated. The foundational physics required for the engineering of contemporary quantum computing circuits was provided by their discovery of “macroscopic quantum mechanical tunnelling and energy quantization in an electric circuit,” which sparked a revolution in science and engineering across numerous domains.
Building on this momentum, the EQI is now concentrating on the “freedom to explore” as its primary strategy component. According to Professor David Weld, one of the organization’s co-directors, encouraging curiosity-driven research is crucial for advancing science. Eight new seed initiatives that push the limits of existing scientific understanding are being overseen by Weld and co-directors Ania Jayich and Stephen Wilson.
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Eight Pillars of Innovation: The 2026 Faculty Projects
The recently awarded faculty projects vary from spacetime curvature to subatomic particles in quantum research.
- The magnetic response of unusual, atomically thin superconductors is being studied by Andrea Young. A deeper comprehension of condensed matter physics and more effective electrical devices may be possible with these materials.
- Andrew Jayich is attempting to create an atomic clock that makes use of many ions. The goal of this method is ultraprecise timekeeping, which has important ramifications for deep-space navigation, GPS technology, and testing the fundamental rules of physics.
- By working to enhance the readout of quantum sensors, Ania Jayich is concentrating on the useful side of quantum technology. Environmental monitoring, mineral exploitation, and medical imaging all depend on high-sensitivity sensors.
- David Weld is starting a research that uses “shaken quantum matter” to represent curved spacetime to bridge the gap between quantum mechanics and general relativity. Researchers can replicate cosmological occurrences in a lab environment using this experimental method.
- By trying to facilitate the entanglement of multiple photons between various buildings on the UCSB campus, Galan Moody is pushing the boundaries of quantum networking. To create a safe, extensive quantum internet, this is an essential first step.
- By describing the crystal and electronic structures and topologies of experimental superconductors, Ram Seshadri is advancing scientific understanding of these materials.
- Superconductivity in odd magnetic materials is being investigated by Stephen Wilson. The discovery of completely new states of matter may result from an understanding of the interactions between forces that are typically at odds, such as magnetism and superconductivity.
- Susanne Stemmer is researching quantum phenomena that might serve as the fundamental building block for a universal quantum computer. A universal quantum computer, in contrast to existing specialized quantum processors, would be able to solve any theoretically computable issue.
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Nurturing the Next Generation
Beyond faculty-led research, education and the professional development of young scientists constitute a large part of the EQI’s purpose. The institution has helped 29 UCSB graduate students with projects since 2020. Graduate and undergraduate fellows will receive funding this year to engage students in cutting-edge research. The “next generation of scientists” who will someday head the quantum workforce need this practical expertise.
A Thriving Interdisciplinary Ecosyste
The Eddleman Quantum Institute‘s work is not isolated. It is a part of UCSB’s broader, dynamic research culture, which is inspired by its unique position at the Pacific Ocean’s edge and thrives on interdisciplinary collaboration. This synergy is demonstrated by recent innovations throughout the campus. For example, some UCSB researchers are bridging the gap between general relativity and supernova astrophysics, notably examining how magnetars distort spacetime, while EQI researchers examine quantum matter.
The university also conducts study on societal concerns and the life sciences. HIV patients are particularly vulnerable to harsh weather events, and researchers have just created a genetic sensor to enhance MRI imaging at the molecular level. The UCSB Library’s “AI in Action” lecture series demonstrates how even the humanities and library services are interested in the future of technology.
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The Road Ahead
The UCSB community and the larger scientific community anticipate the outcomes as the eight new seed projects start their investigations. UCSB is positioned to sustain its leadership in quantum research with the EQI’s strategy, which combines funding for targeted, curiosity-driven initiatives with a dedication to student mentorship.
Every day in Santa Barbara’s labs and classrooms, Roy Eddleman’s vision for collaborative and interactive research is being realized. By granting “freedom to explore,” the Eddleman Quantum Institute is investing in the future of human interaction with the fundamental building blocks of the cosmos, not only in research.
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