Quantum Information Science at NERSC

The possibilities are wide-ranging and inspiring. In the not-too-distant future, quantum information systems are expected to revolutionize how we study disease, design new materials, analyze molecular processes, solve massive data challenges, and much more.

But building world-changing quantum information technologies requires interdisciplinary research and development. Fortunately, Berkeley Lab — long known for its team approach to science — is already partnering with industry and academia to fabricate and test quantum-based devices, develop software and algorithms, build a prototype quantum computer and network, and apply these innovations for breakthroughs in a broad range of science areas.

As part of this collaborative effort, the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center at Berkeley Lab established the [email protected] program and this year awarded more than 250,000 Perlmutter GPU node hours to 16 quantum information science (QIS) projects across the U.S. and beyond. These pioneering research efforts include simulating defects in materials for QIS, applying quantum deep learning algorithms to high energy physics data analysis, and developing surrogate models for variational quantum algorithms, to name just a few.

NERSC sees its role in the budding QIS field as a centralized resource for users who want to bridge the gap between classical computing and quantum computing for applications in chemistry, physics, materials science, drug discovery, and more. Many of the science problems NERSC users are currently focused on are quantum mechanical in nature; by combining classical and quantum resources, NERSC is looking to enhance and expand these research efforts both in the near term and beyond.

For more information about QIS collaborations and resources at NERSC, contact:

Katie Klymko
Daan Camps
Nick Wright