The Quantum Systems Accelerator (QSA) is excited to announce a new affiliate partnership with the Central New Mexico Community College (CNM) in Albuquerque, New Mexico. QSA is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science National Quantum Information Science (QIS) Research Center, led by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) with Sandia National Laboratories (Sandia Labs) as the lead partner. The memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed earlier this year builds upon collaborative efforts in recent years, creating a framework that expands QSA’s ecosystem. This new partnership with CNM establishes a foundation for QSA to continue forming alliances with other like-minded institutions in the U.S., advancing a quantum-ready national technical workforce.
QSA currently includes 15 institutional partners across North America, representing many pioneers in QIS and technology. CNM and QSA members will continue to work together on workforce initiatives, scientific research, and training programs aimed at preparing the next generation of students with the skills needed to support U.S. leadership in QIS and related technologies.
As part of this new framework, instructors in Albuquerque will work with QSA members to co-develop educational curricula, host QSA experts as guest speakers, and create opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds and educational levels to explore careers in QIS. In parallel, CNM will engage managers from various quantum sectors to identify the skills, qualifications, and experiences most in demand, and share this information with QSA members. This feedback loop will help shape new programs that align with the evolving needs of the quantum workforce.
Building on this vision, the partnership between CNMI and QSA represents a strategic step toward transforming quantum education and workforce development. CNMI is a vital partner in training students at various educational levels through its Quantum Learning Lab (QuLL) program. This program will continue to adapt based on community input to ensure its materials and training stay relevant and effective.
Furthermore, in collaboration with QSA, CNMI is helping create a first-of-its-kind quantum technician program that will open new career pathways for students within the QSA team and beyond. Leveraging CNMI’s robust community ties, this collaboration will amplify QSA’s influence and enhance the impact of significant federal investments in the quantum ecosystem.
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) is committed to groundbreaking research focused on discovery science and solutions for abundant and reliable energy supplies. The lab’s expertise spans materials, chemistry, physics, biology, earth and environmental science, mathematics, and computing. Researchers from around the world rely on the lab’s world-class scientific facilities for their own pioneering research. Founded in 1931 on the belief that the biggest problems are best addressed by teams, Berkeley Lab and its scientists have been recognized with 16 Nobel Prizes. Berkeley Lab is a multiprogram national laboratory managed by the University of California for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science.
DOE’s Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit energy.gov/science.
Sandia National Laboratories is a multimission laboratory operated by National Technology and Engineering Solutions of Sandia LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International Inc., for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration. Sandia Labs has major research and development responsibilities in nuclear deterrence, global security, defense, energy technologies and economic competitiveness, with main facilities in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Livermore, California.
The Quantum Systems Accelerator (QSA) is one of the five National Quantum Information Science Research Centers funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science. Led by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and with Sandia National Laboratories as lead partner, QSA catalyzes national leadership in quantum information science to co-design the algorithms, quantum devices, and engineering solutions needed to deliver certified quantum advantage in scientific applications. QSA brings together dozens of scientists who are pioneers of many of today’s unique quantum engineering and fabrication capabilities. In addition to industry and academic partners across the world, 15 institutions are part of QSA: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, University of Colorado at Boulder, MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Caltech, Duke University, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Tufts University, UC Berkeley, University of Maryland, University of New Mexico, University of Southern California, UT Austin, and Canada’s Université de Sherbrooke. For more information, please visit https://quantumsystemsaccelerator.org/
