Electronic Products & Technology

Waterloo-led groundbreaking research receives Fed funding

Stephen Law   

Electronics Engineering

Transformative Quantum Technologies (TQT) program will tackle three grand challenges in quantum research

Groundbreaking research initiatives at the University of Waterloo will receive more than $91-million in funding from the Federal Government, after revealing the recipients of the second competition of the Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF). The ceremony, held recently at the University of Waterloo, announced 13 initiatives across Canada will share $900-million in funding.

Those involving Waterloo researchers are Transformative Quantum Technologies, which will accelerate the development of new quantum technologies.

transformative-quantum-tech

Feridun Hamdullahpur, president and vice-chancellor of Waterloo, congratulates Professor David Cory after the Hon. Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science, announced the winners of the second competition of the Canada First Research Excellence Fund.

“Quantum devices and computing will revolutionize technology as we know it,” says Feridun Hamdullahpur, president and vice-chancellor of Waterloo. “Waterloo is a global leader in both of these critical research areas, and the funding announced today will help ensure Canada’s role at the forefront of world-changing discovery.”

The Transformative Quantum Technologies (TQT) program will tackle three grand challenges in quantum research: to develop a universal quantum processor, quantum sensors and long-distance quantum communications. Under the direction of Professor David Cory, Canada Excellence Research Chair in Quantum Information Processing at Waterloo’s Institute for Quantum Computing, TQT will aim to connect academic research with industry applications in a variety of fields. CFREF will contribute $76.3 million to this initiative of more than $140 million.

Advertisement

“Quantum mechanics enable devices that are otherwise impossible in the classical world, and these revolutionary devices will transform the way we interact with and learn about the world,” said Cory, also a professor of chemistry in the Faculty of Science at Waterloo. “Transformative Quantum Technologies aims to develop new quantum technologies and to connect quantum devices to applications spanning the fields of medicine, health, navigation, environment, materials and others.”

CFREF invests in areas where Canadian post-secondary institutions can become global leaders in their fields of key research strength. Selection for funding followed an open competition among Canada’s post-secondary institutions that was judged by a panel of Canadian and international scientific experts.

Advertisement

Stories continue below

Print this page

Related Stories