The Centre for Theory of Emergent Quantum Matter (C-TEQ), a new project at Penn State devoted to the study of complex quantum systems, has been formally established. To raise the University’s profile internationally in the quickly developing field of quantum science, this new center is intended to promote interdisciplinary collaboration and expedite groundbreaking research breakthroughs.
The establishment of C-TEQ is the result of substantial institutional investment, including funding from the Office of the Senior Vice President for Research and the Eberly College of Science. The debut is intentionally timed to coincide with the 2025 International Year of Quantum Science & Technology (IYQ), a worldwide campaign aimed at increasing public awareness of the significant influence of quantum science. The founding director of the center, Jainendra K. Jain, claims that the establishment of C-TEQ highlights the University’s commitment to the future of the quantum field and honors the first 100 years of this field of study as the International Year of Quantum draws to a close.
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Leadership and Strategic Institutional Placement
Jainendra K. Jain, the Erwin W. Müller Professor of Physics, Evan Pugh University Professor, and Eberly Chair in Physics, will serve as the director of the Centre for Theory of Emergent Quantum Matter. C-TEQ is located under the institute’s Quantum Hub and is strategically managed by the Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS).
ICDS established five research hubs, including the Quantum Hub, with the goal of promoting innovation and creating a university-wide network to advance cutting-edge research. The establishment of C-TEQ enhances Penn State’s leadership in quantum research and expands on ICDS’s recent establishment of the Quantum Hub, which connects departments specializing in quantum simulation, theory, and data, according to Guido Cervone, director of ICDS.
“Create a unique collaborative structure that ignites transformative quantum research and attracts significant external funding,” is how Director Jain describes the goal of C-TEQ. In order to speed up discoveries, the center will act as a catalyst for bringing together thinkers from different fields and combining different approaches. Although Penn State has a robust quantum community already, Jain emphasized that C-TEQ will bring together researchers who are currently dispersed across multiple departments in beneficial ways, increasing the visibility of these activities both internally and internationally.
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Driving Emergent Quantum Discoveries
The theory of quantum mechanics as it relates to systems with numerous particles is the special focus of C-TEQ. The center’s researchers will study how topology, entanglement, and strong interactions result in new phenomena in condensed matter systems.
Three primary topics will be covered by the new center’s research portfolio: the investigation of unusual particles, the study of emergent quantum matter, and the fusion of quantum physics with artificial intelligence. Researchers aim to discover basic principles that could lead to new materials and cutting-edge quantum technology by examining emergent occurrences in complicated quantum materials. Among these technologies are quantum computers, which have the potential to solve complicated issues that are now well above the capabilities of contemporary devices.
The center leverages the natural power of Penn State’s interdisciplinary network to bring exceptional people together, according to Tracy Langkilde, Verne M. Willaman Dean of the Eberly College of Science. “The Eberly College of Science and the highly regarded physics department are the core academic home for many of these exceptional minds, driving the fundamental research that acts as the building blocks for future innovations,” said Dean Langkilde.
Senior Vice President for Research Andrew Read echoed this attitude, pointing out that C-TEQ represents Penn State’s steadfast dedication to basic research that advances human understanding and powers emerging technology.
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Interdisciplinary Collaboration and Workforce Development
By linking important research areas, including quantum materials, sensing, communication, computation, and simulation, the center is intended to promote broad multidisciplinary collaboration. Faculty from several disciplines, including physics, materials science and engineering, electrical engineering and computer science, and mathematics, are involved in this vital multidisciplinary approach.
The centre boasts a distinguished faculty, which includes Marcos Rigol, Distinguished Professor of Physics, and Ribhu Kaul, Professor of Physics. Zhen Bi, an assistant professor of physics; Long-Qing Chen, an associate professor of physics; Thomas Iadecola, an associate professor of physics; Xiantao Li, a mathematics professor; Chaoxing Liu, a physics professor; Vincent Meunier, a professor and department head of engineering science and mechanics; Lukas Muechler, an assistant professor of chemistry and physics; Sarah Shandera, a physics professor; Abhinav Verma, an assistant professor of computer science and engineering; and Binghai Yan, a professor of physics, are also listed as current C-TEQ faculty members. Both theorists and experimentalists make up a large number of the center’s associate members.
The creation of the future quantum workforce is an essential part of C-TEQ’s purpose. Postdoctoral research fellows are being sought by the center to work on prominent quantum research projects. According to Jain, C-TEQ is intended to strengthen Penn State’s reputation as a center for cutting-edge quantum research by offering a wealth of opportunities for undergraduates and postdoctoral scholars to work closely with professionals at the forefront of the field. Reviews of applications for these postdoctoral research fellows will begin after December 15 and continue until all open seats are filled.
By making large investments in faculty and facilities, including major renovations to Osmond Laboratory, which will house new research lab spaces specifically for particle astrophysics and condensed-matter physics, the University has demonstrated its commitment to the expanding field of quantum research. C-TEQ is well-positioned to foster an atmosphere in which academics, students, and postdoctoral researchers can generate audacious concepts that result in surprising and game-changing findings.
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