$3 Million for Quantum Workforce at Florida Atlantic University

The Florida Atlantic University Center for Connected Autonomy and Artificial Intelligence (CA-AI) has been awarded a $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to develop a quantum-ready workforce in Florida.

The $3 million award granted to the CA-AI center within the College of Engineering and Computer Science was provided under the U.S. Department of Labor's Strengthening Institutions Program. The funding will be used to build a quantum-competent workforce through education and research training in the fields of quantum-enabled sensing and communication.

Titled "Building Florida’s Quantum-Ready Workforce: Quantum-Skilled Pathways in Integrated Sensing and Communications from Early College to Graduate Studies," the project is led by George Sklivanitis and Dimitris Pados. The initiative will create educational pathways introducing students to quantum technologies from the early college level to graduate studies.

FAU will collaborate with Infleqtion Inc.’s Colorado Quantum Innovation Center to acquire Rydberg atom quantum radio frequency sensing and communication equipment as well as an optical atomic clock. With this equipment, the university aims to become the first higher education institution in the country to host this technology. The five-year project will be conducted between October 1, 2026, and September 30, 2031.