NYU Launches Quantum Institute

Recognizing that quantum science holds the key to major advances in fields such as computing, communications security, and ultra-precise sensors, NYU is today announcing the formation of the NYU Quantum Institute (NYUQI) to create a world-class research hub in the heart of New York City that aims to unlock discoveries and applications of quantum information sciences in fields as varied as physics, engineering, materials science, computer science, biology, chemistry, and medicine.

The NYU Quantum Institute is another major step forward in NYU’s push to advance interdisciplinary science and technology. Led by Javad Shabani—professor of physics, director of the Center of Quantum Information Physics, and an expert in quantum materials and devices for computation technologies—the Institute will also solidify New York as a leader in the global quantum ecosystem. 

Juan de Pablo, NYU’s Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Executive Vice President for Global Science and Technology and executive dean of NYU’s Tandon School of Engineering, said, “Quantum information sciences and engineering have the potential to revolutionize a wide range of industries by solving problems that are intractable for even the most powerful available technologies. However, realizing their promise requires moving beyond fragmented collaboration to an integrated ecosystem that can translate discoveries into deployable systems. That is what the Quantum Institute aims to do.

“And it comes at a pivotal moment in quantum technology development. The 2018 National Quantum Initiative Act established America's roadmap for quantum advancement, and industry giants—IBM, Google, Microsoft, and Cisco, along with financial powerhouses like JPMorgan Chase—are investing heavily in quantum technologies, with many maintaining significant operations in the greater New York area. The NYUQI positions the university at the forefront of this quantum revolution, creating synergies with an emerging quantum ecosystem in New York.”

The Institute, which will be housed at 770 Broadway (the 1,000,000 sq. ft. facility that NYU recently secured as part of its effort to advance science and technology), will bring together faculty and students from diverse fields with the necessary tools and spaces to answer some of the biggest scientific questions and technological challenges of our time. This year alone, NYU is welcoming six new hires in the field of quantum information science across multiple departments and recently launched an MS in Quantum Science and Technology, becoming one of fewer than 20 institutions in the US to offer a degree tailored to providing a career path in emerging quantum industries. 

The launch of the Institute reflects NYU’s rapid ascent as a science and technology research institution. In 2024, NYU—for the first time—was ranked as the top university in New York State for research funding, according to the National Science Foundation’s annual Higher Education Research and Development survey. NYU’s advancement is among the fastest nationwide, rising from #43 to #12 among all universities over the past decade. 

The Institute will serve as a hub for the exchange of ideas and interactions between academia and the private sector, including New York’s vibrant startup ecosystem. A distinctive feature of the NYUQI will be to provide state-of-the-art learning and research opportunities for undergraduate, graduate, and senior researchers to craft the future leaders of quantum technology, thereby providing unique opportunities for technology transfer and creating unique opportunities for quantum industries.

NYU’s Quantum Institute will drive cutting-edge research across three pillars of quantum information science:

• Quantum Computing: Harnessing NYU’s strength in materials growth and characterization, its unique facilities for quantum device fabrication, and its prowess in computer science and applied mathematics, the Institute will provide fertile grounds for developing advanced quantum computing technologies and solving heretofore intractable computational problems.
• Quantum Communications: Building on its urban quantum communications network between its Manhattan and Brooklyn campuses and its world-renowned wireless communications center, NYU’s quantum communications system will serve as a testbed for the development of next-generation technologies for creating ultra-secure, near- instantaneous communications networks.
• Quantum Sensing: By focusing on an array of sensing platforms for applications in chemistry, physics, biology, and engineering, the NYUQI will partner with startups, established companies, and entrepreneurs to develop revolutionary measurement technologies able to revolutionize metrology in all its forms.      

Shabani, director of the new NYU Quantum Institute, said, “Quantum computing has the potential to bring fundamentally new understanding and solutions to problems in both physical and life sciences. From the building blocks of life to complex financial analysis, quantum technology stands to redefine what is possible. The NYUQI will create a world-leading quantum ecosystem that radically improves the quantum computing landscape and creates societal impact.”