DOE to fund $21.4M for research in particle physics, fusion energy sciences
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded $21.4 million in funding for research in quantum information science (QIS), which encompasses particle physics and fusion energy sciences.
“QIS holds great promise for tackling challenging questions in a wide range of disciplines,” the DOE’s Under Secretary for Science Paul Dabbar said. “This research will open up important new avenues of investigation in areas like artificial intelligence while helping keep American science on the cutting edge of the growing field of QIS.”
Specifically, $12 million in funding will go toward 21 projects of two to three years’ duration in particle physics. This may include the development of highly sensitive quantum sensors for the detection of rare particles, to the use of quantum computing. It may also go toward analyzing particle physics data as well as quantum simulation experiments connecting the cosmos to quantum systems.
Further, about $9.4 million will be provided for six projects of up to three years in duration in fusion energy sciences. This is for research to examine the application of quantum computing to fusion and plasma science, the use of plasma science techniques for quantum sensing, and the quantum behavior of matter under high-energy-density conditions, among other topics.
Projects were selected by competitive peer review by the Office of High Energy Physics and the Office of Fusion Energy Sciences with the Department’s Office of Science.
