UNM-LANL Partnership in Quantum Information Science

Graduate Student Research Program

The UNM-LANL Partnership in Quantum Information Science awards three kinds of fellowships to promote research in quantum information science (QIS). Awards are made to UNM students within the Department of Physics and Astronomy (P&A) or the Department of Computer Science (CS). The Partnership is a joint effort of UNM’s Information Physics Group (IPG) and LANL’s Quantum Institute (QI), under the auspices of the UNM-LANL Joint Science and Technology Laboratory.

Quantum Institute Prize Fellowship (QIPF)

QIPFs are awarded to outstanding students entering UNM for PhD study in P&A or CS. Applicants need not apply specifically for a QIPF in their application for graduate study, but should apply for financial aid and should indicate an interest in quantum information science. A QIPF provides a twelve-month stipend, UNM tuition, health insurance, and a summer living-expense stipend to defer the additional costs of living in Los Alamos during the summer months. Fellows will generally take the required course sequence in their UNM PhD program during the academic year and spend the summer at LANL participating in a research project within the Quantum Institute. A QIPF will generally be awarded for one year, with renewal for a second year contingent on the availability of funds.

Quantum Institute Research Assistantship (QIRA)

QIRAs are awarded to outstanding PhD students in P&A or CS who are ready to begin PhD dissertation research. The research would be carried within the Quantum Institute and would be jointly supervised by an IPG faculty member and a QI staff member. A QIRA provides a twelve-month stipend, UNM tuition, health insurance, and a living-expense stipend to defer the additional costs of living in Los Alamos. A QIPF will generally be awarded for one year, with renewal for the duration of a student’s PhD research contingent on availability of funds and a review of student’s progress.

Summer Research Assistantship (SRA)

SRAs are awarded to undergraduate and graduate students in P&A or CS to explore research opportunities at LANL by working on a particular research project within the Quantum Institute during the summer. An SRA provides a three-month stipend, UNM tuition, and a living-expense stipend to defer the additional costs of living in Los Alamos. An SRA is awarded for a single summer.

Questions about the Graduate Student Research Program should be directed to Professor Carlton M. Caves, caves@info.phys.unm.edu

LANL’s Quantum Institute (QI) was established in December 2002 to bring under one umbrella LANL’s extensive research activities in quantum information and quantum technologies. It encompasses the research activities of over 30 staff members in C, CCS, MST, NIS, P, SC, and T Divisions.

UNM’s Information Physics Group (IPG) is an informal grouping of faculty in the Department of Physics and Astronomy (P&A) and the Department of Computer Science (CS). In addition to the professorial faculty, the group generally includes two postdoctoral fellows and supervises about ten Master’s and PhD students.