Quantum Information Science (QIS)

Basic Energy Sciences (BES) supports fundamental research for public benefit in materials and chemical sciences to advance our understanding of quantum phenomena in systems that could be used for QIS, and the use of quantum computing in chemical and materials sciences research. Priority Research Opportunities (PROs) for experimental and theoretical research were identified in the BES Reports: 

BES issued its first funding opportunity for experimental and theoretical research that addressed the PROs in FY 2018, with additional calls in subsequent years.  These awards have spanned the BES portfolio, and range in size from single investigators to large teams at multiple institutions. BES continues to support fundamental QIS research in the Materials Sciences and Engineering (MSE) and the Chemical Sciences, Geosciences, and Biosciences (CSGB) Divisions. There are several quantum-related Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs).  The National Quantum Information Sciences Research Centers (NQISRCs) span technical breath of DOE’s Office of Science, including BES. In addition, to support the broad research community, synthesis and characterization capabilities for QIS are available at the BES Nanoscale Science, X-ray, and neutron Scientific User Facilities.

Current and Past Funding Opportunities
All current and past BES funding opportunities can be found here.

QIS-relevant research is integrated into core research areas across the MSE and CSGB Divisions. Since FY 2022, BES solicits proposals for fundamental QIS research through the annual funding opportunity announcement, “Continuation of Solicitation for the Office of Science Financial Assistance Program,” and the Early Career Research Program. In addition, funding opportunities specific to underrepresented institutions in the research community include topics related to QIS (DOE Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (DOE EPSCoR) FOAs,Funding for Accelerated, Inclusive Research (FAIR) FOA, and Reaching a New, Energy Sciences Workforce (RENEW) FOAs). BES has provided supplemental awards through the Office of Science Graduate Student Research Program to support graduate thesis research opportunities in QIS at DOE laboratories. 

SC Statement on Quantum Information Science
The Office of Science discusses the emerging and cross-cutting field of Quantum Information Science (QIS) in a Dear Colleague Letter here.

SC Quantum Information Science Initiative
Discover Office of Science quantum information science activities that span multiple program offices here.

Contacts
Dr. Athena Sefat and Dr. Thomas Settersten.