University of Maryland

In 1997, National Institute of Standards and Technology physicist and University of Maryland faculty member William Phillips received the Nobel Prize for breakthroughs in laser cooling, enabling scientists to trap atoms with light. That inspired UMD physicist Chris Monroe’s 21st-century work demonstrating trapped atoms could reliably function as processing elements, or qubits, in quantum computers. Monroe then cofounded IonQ, headquartered on UMD’s campus, as America’s first publicly traded pure-play quantum computing company. This line of progression from fundamental discovery to revolutionary technology exemplifies UMD’s leadership in quantum science and American universities’ role in driving innovation and building the nation’s economy. Learn more