Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) has partnered with IBM to introduce the world’s first IBM Quantum System One on a university campus, marking a milestone in quantum computing education and research. This initiative, revealed during RPI’s bicentennial year, underscores the university’s historic commitment to innovation and its vision to become a “Quantum Valley” in the Capital Region. The IBM Quantum System One, featuring a 127-qubit ‘Eagle’ processor, will provide RPI’s community and partners with unprecedented access to quantum computing capabilities, aiming to propel chemistry, physics, materials, and more research towards achieving quantum advantage.
The unveiling ceremony was attended by notable figures from RPI and IBM, including RPI President Marty A. Schmidt and IBM Chairman and CEO Arvind Krishna, highlighting the collaboration’s significance. The quantum system is located in the Voorhees Computing Center Chapel. It is a key component of the Curtis R. Priem Constellation, named after RPI trustee Curtis R. Priem, whose philanthropy made the project possible. This endeavor will catalyze collaborative research and educational efforts in quantum computing at RPI, establishing the university as a leader in this groundbreaking field.
RPI and IBM’s longstanding partnership extends beyond this latest venture, with RPI already hosting the AiMOS supercomputer, the most powerful classical supercomputer at a private university in the U.S. This history of collaboration underscores a shared commitment to advancing technology and preparing the next generation of the technology workforce. The Quantum System One’s introduction is set to enhance RPI’s curriculum, offering new quantum computing educational programs to develop the quantum workforce. This collaboration between RPI and IBM celebrated during RPI’s bicentennial, reaffirms the region’s commitment to technological leadership and innovation, poised to make significant contributions to health, pharmaceuticals, sustainability, AI, national security, and more.
Kenna Hughes-Castleberry is the Managing Editor at Inside Quantum Technology and the Science Communicator at JILA (a partnership between the University of Colorado Boulder and NIST). Her writing beats include deep tech, quantum computing, and AI. Her work has been featured in National Geographic, Scientific American, Discover Magazine, New Scientist, Ars Technica, and more.