NYU’s Quantum Institute, IBM Team Up for Postdoctoral Research Program in Quantum Computing

Insider Brief

• New York University and IBM launched a postdoctoral quantum research program focused on advancing quantum algorithms and applications across fields including chemistry, materials science, physics, optimization, engineering, and computer science.
• The program will support research on hybrid quantum-classical supercomputing architectures and future fault-tolerant quantum computers, with projects conducted at NYU’s Quantum Institute and IBM’s Thomas J. Watson Research Center using IBM quantum hardware.
• The collaboration expands an existing relationship between NYU and IBM through the IBM Quantum Network and follows earlier joint efforts to train undergraduate and graduate students in quantum information science.
• Photo by Logan Voss on Unsplash

PRESS RELEASE — New York University and IBM have initiated a postdoctoral program to conduct quantum computer research in the areas of chemistry, computer science, engineering, materials science, physics, and optimization.

This collaboration, as part of NYU’s role as a member of the IBM Quantum Network—a consortium of academic institutions, enterprises, startups, and government labs working to enhance quantum computing through research excellence and technological advancement—is intended to push quantum algorithms and applications development for today’s quantum-centric supercomputer architectures, which combine quantum and classical HPC workloads, as well as for future, large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computers, which are expected to accelerate time and cost efficiencies in fields such as drug development, materials discovery, chemistry, and optimization.

“Quantum computing’s potential to understand and address engineering, mathematical, and scientific barriers is unmatched,” says NYU Professor Javad Shabani, director of NYU’s Quantum Institute, who will oversee the university’s role in the postdoc program. “But maximizing its contributions requires developing a network of quantum pioneers across academia and industry who can reach beyond today’s technological boundaries. NYU welcomes the opportunity to work with IBM to help postdocs with their innovative and comprehensive approaches in meeting these challenges.”

“This postdoctoral research sponsorship will give some of NYU’s top talent an opportunity to push IBM’s quantum-centric supercomputing architecture not just for immediate application development, but to lay the groundwork for the algorithms that will power tomorrow’s fault-tolerant quantum computers—all while engaging with the broader quantum community of students, researchers, and industry professionals,” says Jamie Garcia, Director, Growth & Strategic Partnerships, IBM. 

NYU postdoctoral researchers chosen for the program will conduct quantum-related projects, sponsored and supported by IBM and the company’s quantum researchers, at NYU’s Quantum Institute and at IBM Research headquarters—the Thomas J. Watson Research Center in Yorktown Heights, New York—using the company’s quantum computers. The program follows an earlier NYU-IBM program, which included the training of NYU undergraduates and graduates in quantum information physics.