Several historically Black colleges and universities, including Howard University, North Carolina A&T State University, and Morgan State University, are at the forefront of quantum computing education and research.
Howard University heads the IBM-HBCU Quantum Center, which is the first program focused on expanding quantum education at HBCUs.
The university conducts research in quantum information science and plans to launch a professional Master’s degree in quantum information science and technology.
North Carolina A&T offers hands-on research in quantum information science and engineering, and works on building programmable quantum computers with support from multi-institutional grants.
The university also studies quantum algorithms and computational chemistry.
Morgan State University works with the University of Maryland on the Securing Experimental Quantum Computing Usage in Research Environments program.
This project supports a national security memorandum focused on keeping the U.S. competitive in quantum information science and lowering future risks to national security, the economy, and cybersecurity from quantum computers.
On Monday, the White House announced on its website the start of the Quantum Computer for Application Development and Discovery Science initiative.
This national program aims to build a quantum computer that will open up new possibilities for scientific discovery.
The goal is to provide at least one of these computers to a Department of Energy facility and make it available to scientists.
This national program aims to build a quantum computer that will open up new possibilities
Government-wide recruitment and retention strategy
Within 90 days of this order, the Office of Personnel Management, in consultation with the Assistant to the President for Science and Technology and the Office of Management and Budget, and in coordination with the Secretaries of War, Commerce, and Energy, the Director of National Intelligence, and the National Science Foundation, shall develop a government-wide quantum information science and technology recruitment and retention strategy.
This could involve special pay rates and extra incentives. The plan should help ongoing efforts to build a strong national security quantum workforce.
Registered apprenticeships for relevant occupations
Within 120 days, the Secretary of Labor shall ensure that the needs of the quantum information science and technology industry are prioritized in workforce training efforts related to Executive Order 14278 of April 23, 2025, and the implementation of America’s Talent Strategy, including by expanding registered apprenticeships for relevant occupations.
Skills and Credentials
Additionally, the Secretary of Labor and the Director of the National Science Foundation, in coordination with the co-chairs of the Subcommittee on Quantum Information Science, shall develop a method to track labor statistics for the quantum ecosystem, including defining “quantum information science and technology-relevant occupations” and identifying associated skills and credentials.
The Assistant to the President for Science and Technology will work with industry and universities to expand post-secondary training, helping Americans gain skills for good jobs in the quantum information science and technology field, prioritizing hands-on training with Quantum information science and technology systems or concepts.
Workforce Development Institutes
The National Science Foundation will work to set up a network of National Quantum Information Science and Technology Workforce Development Institutes.
These institutes will improve training opportunities and help coordinate efforts across federal, state, and local agencies.
National Quantum Strategy
Building on the National Quantum Initiative Act of 2018, the United States is working to strengthen its position as a leader in quantum information science and technology and bring the benefits of quantum innovation to Americans.
Within 180 days, federal departments and agencies, working with the National Science and Technology Council, must update the National Quantum Strategy.
The new policies will support the growing quantum information science and technology ecosystem, encourage commercialization, and promote partnerships with U.S. industry.
Within 30 days after the updated Strategy is published, relevant departments and agencies must submit a summary of how they have aligned their processes, policies, and programs with the Strategy.
Agency leaders must make sure the needed capabilities, manufacturing infrastructure, and expertise are in place to support this work. They will use these resources to explore how quantum computers can be used in business, government, and national security.
The Administrator of NASA, the Director of the National Security Agency, and other agency leaders will also identify more steps to take.
The Secretary of Commerce will create a plan, which may include advance market commitments, to encourage commercial quantum computing companies to take part in this effort.
The Secretary of War will set up or assign programs to develop the tools and skills needed for national security uses of quantum computing.
This could include creating a special center for this purpose.
A national center will be created to develop tools for accurately measuring how quantum computing systems perform. There will also be a way for agencies to share information, helping the government better assess commercial quantum computing capabilities.
Next-generation quantum
Within 60 days of this order, the Secretary of War will choose at least three next-generation quantum sensor projects to focus on, aiming to have these sensors ready by September.
The Secretary of Commerce will make a plan to help quantum sensing, quantum sensor manufacturing, and quantum-network-enhanced timing become ready for commercial use.
The Secretary of Energy will create a plan to use quantum sensing and imaging for measuring complex systems, and to use quantum networking to support distributed quantum computing.
The Director of the NSF will make a plan for basic science research to find new uses for quantum sensing and networking, create new system-level ideas, and improve quantum information science and technology manufacturing.
The Administrator of NASA will plan to expand civilian quantum sensing and networking for space.
Agency leaders will focus on research, development, testing, and evaluation of quantum sensing and networking applications and hardware.