College Park Mayor Kabir and Councilmember Jordan visit QLab

Fazlul Kabir, Mayor of the City of College Park (Maryland), and Councilmember Kelly Jordan visited QLab this Wednesday and toured our experimental trapped ion quantum computing lab, housed at the University's Joint Quantum Institute.

The tour featured a working trapped-ion system and a step-by-step explanation how an atomic physics experiment turns into a programmable device, harnessing the power of quantum physics for computational tasks. Mayor Kabir and Councilmember Jordan discussed various aspects of the Maryland quantum ecosystem with QLab director Norbert Linke, including the city's efforts to support the growth in the local quantum-based industry, boosted by Governor Wes Moore's Capital of Quantum Initiative, which continues to bring quantum-technology focused companies to the Discovery District Maryland, supported by UMD's Quantum Startup Foundry.

Our esteemed guests learned about different aspects and the potential real-world impact of quantum computers and interacted with with graduate and undergraduate students who work both on quantum hardware research in the lab, and program larger-scale commercial quantum computers by companies like IonQ and QuEra Computing, accessed through QLab's user facility model. 

We thank Mayor Kabir and Councilmember Jordan for visiting - and for the thoughtful discussion about how research, education, public leadership, and industry can work together to strengthen College Park as a center for quantum innovation.