image: The U.S. National Science Foundation and United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI) are investing in eight joint research projects that could open the door to breakthroughs in quantum computing, ultra-precise navigation and secure communications. The UChicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering’s research project, funded with more than $636,000, is headed by Prof. David Awschalom and Prof. Giulia Galli, with Prof. Danna Freedman at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Credit: University of Chicago
The U.S. National Science Foundation and United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI) are investing in eight joint research projects that could open the door to breakthroughs in quantum computing, ultra-precise navigation and secure communications. The effort is supported by $4.7 million from NSF and £4.2 million from UKRI's Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). Each project brings together U.S. and U.K. researchers to tackle an underexplored area in science: how quantum information affects chemical reactions and molecular systems, and how that knowledge can be put to use.
By harnessing the inherent complexity of chemical systems, the teams aim to surpass today's quantum technologies, which primarily rely on atoms and photons. The partnership underscores the growing international momentum in quantum research, with the potential to create new and different types of molecular-based qubits and other fundamental components useful for quantum computing, quantum sensing and quantum communications.
“Through a dynamic partnership, the U.S. National Science Foundation and UKRI are uniting top researchers to unravel the mysteries of quantum in chemical systems,” said White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Michael Kratsios. “Building upon the President’s U.S.-UK Technology Prosperity Deal, this visionary partnership will reshape our knowledge of quantum mechanics and open new frontiers in quantum computing, sensing, and communicating.”
The UChicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering’s research project, funded with more than $636,000, is headed by Prof. David Awschalom and Prof. Giulia Galli, with Prof. Danna Freedman at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
“We are developing a versatile chemical toolbox that will enable entanglement to be created, sustained, and detected in complex molecular systems,” Awschalom said. “This effort is a key step that could advance multiple quantum technologies including enhanced sensors for understanding chemical and biological systems.”
Awschalom is the Liew Family Professor and director of the Chicago Quantum Institute at UChicago PME and a professor in the Physics Department, a senior scientist at Argonne National Laboratory, and founding director of the Chicago Quantum Exchange. He is also the inaugural Director of Q-NEXT, one of the US DOE Quantum Information Science Research Centers.
Galli is the Liew Family Professor at UChicago PME and in UChicago’s Department of Chemistry. She also holds a senior scientist position at Argonne National Laboratory, where she is a group leader and the director of the Midwest Integrated Center for Computational Materials.
Each of the eight funded projects brings together U.S. and U.K. researchers to tackle an underexplored area in science: how quantum information affects chemical reactions and molecular systems, and how that knowledge can be put to use.
"By supporting bold, collaborative science, this partnership lays the foundation for advances that can transform everyday life," said Brian Stone, performing the duties of NSF director. "These projects demonstrate the power of shared investment in tackling real-world challenges, from more powerful computing to next-generation navigation and sensing tools."
"This joint EPSRC-NSF investment in quantum information science in chemistry represents UKRI commitments towards exploring compelling scientific frontiers and working with our international partners," says EPSRC Executive Director for Research Jane Nicholson. "These programmes will open new pathways for transformative science and the quantum technologies of the generation yet to come."
Potential applications of the research include ultrasensitive molecular compasses, molecular-scale memory systems, and new types of qubits.
Beyond technology outcomes, the projects will provide training opportunities for graduate students and early-career researchers in disciplines such as quantum optics, molecular spectroscopy and nanofabrication. They will also strengthen long-term scientific partnerships between U.S. and U.K. institutions, advancing the goals of the U.S.-U.K. Technology Prosperity Deal, which supports collaboration in quantum, artificial intelligence and other critical technologies.
In addition to funding the eight projects, NSF and UKRI are launching new opportunities to expand bilateral cooperation:
- Center-to-Centre Collaboration Opportunities will provide up to $500,000 in supplemental funding for current NSF-funded centers and institutes to partner with U.K. centres and institutes.
- NSF-UKRI/EPSRC Lead Agency Opportunity on Quantum Information in Chemical Systems will continue to support joint research in Fiscal Year 2026.
By focusing on quantum phenomena in chemistry, NSF and UKRI are opening new frontiers in science with the potential to deliver real-world technologies that enhance the quality of life, provide new economic opportunities and strengthen national security.
Learn more about the new research projects exploring quantum information in chemical systems.