Our Mission

Quantum information, engineering, science and technology (QUIEST) is a transdisciplinary field that draws from physics, materials science, electrical engineering, and information science. By controlling and exploiting quantum-mechanical effects like superposition and entanglement in physical systems, QUIEST is already transforming the way we think about computation and information security. Other near-term applications include quantum communication links and precision sensors for biology, chemistry, and medicine. Penn’s broad strengths in these areas provide an ideal environment for basic QUIEST research and for the translation of impactful technologies.

Penn QUIEST will advance this vision by coordinating activities across the university and in the greater Philadelphia region. It brings together over thirty faculty from the School of Engineering and Applied Science and the School of Arts & Sciences.

Our Objectives

  • Initiating and supporting transdisciplinary research projects in QUIEST by promoting interdepartmental and cross-school discourse and scholarship.
  • Expanding research in QUIEST by recruiting top undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and – through a strategic Penn Engineering hiring initiative – faculty who will establish new research and academic programs.
  • Promoting QUIEST in the greater Philadelphia region by establishing partner relationships with industry and local academic institutions.
 

Leadership

Eric A. Stach

Robert D. Bent Professor

Ritesh Agarwal

Professor, Srinivasa Ramanujan Distinguished Scholar

Marija Drndic

Fay R. and Eugene L. Langberg Professor

Eric J. Schelter

Hirschmann-Makineni Professor

Jonathan Michael Smith

Olga and Alberico Pompa Professor

Stephen A. Zdancewic

Schlein Family President’s Distinguished Professor

Bo Zhen

Assistant Professor