News
July 1, 2026
The Post-Quantum Security Mandate
To stay ahead of advanced cryptographic attacks, the federal government is launching a massive defensive overhaul that requires all federal agencies to map their digital assets and migrate to quantum-resistant security standards by 2030 and 2031.July 1, 2026
The New Era of Quantum Innovation
The executive order updates the national quantum strategy by launching a multi-agency effort to build a dedicated quantum computer for scientific discovery at a Department of Energy laboratory.
July 1, 2026
Sensible Photonics and Pitt Partnership Chosen for DOE Nuclear Sensing Demo
Sensible Photonics and the University of Pittsburgh were selected by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Center for Used Fuel Research to demonstrate advanced fiber-optic sensing technology at Idaho National Laboratory for monitoring used nuclear fuel storage systems.
June 17, 2026
Microsoft Claims Faster Quantum Timeline, Targeting Practical System in 3 Years
Microsoft says advances in its topological qubit design could enable a practical quantum computer within about three years, significantly accelerating its previous timeline. The company claims its latest Majorana 2 chip exhibits more stable quantum states, which could make scalable quantum computing possible sooner than expected. However, physicists, including Sergey Frolov, argue the evidence is not convincing and say Microsoft has a pattern of unreliable claims, with no clear proof that the reported device functions as a real qubit.
June 17, 2026
Google Expands Quantum Efforts with AI Synergy and New Research Initiatives
Google highlighted major advances in quantum computing, including a demonstration of verifiable quantum advantage with its Willow chip, where its Quantum Echoes algorithm ran 13,000 times faster than the best-known classical approach.
June 17, 2026
IBM Unveils $10 Billion Quantum Investment Plan Through 2031
IBM announced a more than $10 billion investment in quantum computing over the next five years, covering research, manufacturing, partnerships, acquisitions, and ecosystem growth.
May 27, 2026
Kang Kim Named ASA Fellow
Kang Kim, a bioengineering professor at Pitt’s Swanson School of Engineering, has been named a Fellow of the Acoustical Society of America for his contributions to acoustics research and leadership within the organization.
May 13, 2026
Pitt Launches WP-QIC
The University of Pittsburgh has officially opened the Western Pennsylvania Quantum Information Core (WP‑QIC), a quantum research lab that brings advanced equipment and shared resources to researchers across Western Pennsylvania.
May 13, 2026
Senate Advances Quantum Initiative Reauthorization
The Senate Commerce Committee has unanimously approved the reauthorization of the National Quantum Initiative Act, and it will now proceed to the Senate floor.
May 13, 2026
World Economic Forum Report: Unlocking Quantum Opportunities for the Energy Transition
The World Economic Forum has released its whitepaper, Quantum for Energy and Utilities: Key Opportunities for Energy Transition, developed with Aramco, exploring how quantum technologies can help tackle growing pressures on energy systems.
April 21, 2026
Petek’s Team Observes Nonadiabatic Tunneling in Optically Dressed Surface Bands
Dr. Hrvoje Petek and collaborators published a study demonstrating how intense, precisely controlled light fields can modify the electronic structure of a copper surface on attosecond timescales.
April 1, 2026
PQI 2026 Best Poster Awards
Congratulations to our PQI 2026 Best Poster Award winners Anoosha Fayyaz, Sayanwita Biswas, and Daniel Vaz!
March 10, 2026
Pitt Engineers Develop Transparent, Flexible EMI Shielding
Engineers at the University of Pittsburgh, led by Mostafa Bedewy and first author Mirza Sahaluddin, created transparent, flexible electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding using a laser-based kirigami technique to pattern graphene into polymer films.
March 2, 2026
Paul Ohodnicki Chosen to Head Pitt's Energy Initiative
Paul Ohodnicki, an associate professor at Pitt’s Swanson School of Engineering, has been selected to lead the university’s Center for Energy, following Heng Ban.
February 17, 2026