USC to Establish First Operational Quantum Computing System at an Academic Institution

WHAT:

USC; Lockheed Martin, Inc.; and D-Wave Systems, Inc. will officially unveil the first commercial and operational quantum computer academic center at USC Viterbi School of Engineering's Information Sciences Institute.

WHO:

Dr. Ray Johnson, CTO, Lockheed Martin

Dr. Daniel Lidar, Director, USC-Lockheed Martin Quantum Computing Center

Dr. Geordie Rose, Founder and CTO, D-Wave

Vern Brownell, President and CEO, D-Wave

WHEN:

Friday, October 28, at 10:00 A.M.

WHERE:

USC Viterbi School of Engineering, Information Sciences Institute

4676 Admiralty Way, Suite 11th Floor

Marina del Rey, CA 90292

Validated parking provided, entry off Admiralty Way

ABOUT:

Continuing its rich history with pioneering advances in high-performance computing and the Internet, USC is now exploring the promising future of quantum computing. Invoking superconducting technology, USC has constructed a high-fidelity computing center to house D-Wave's revolutionary quantum computing chip, recently purchased by Lockheed Martin and provided to USC for its applicability to information technology. USC and Lockheed Martin will work synergistically to explore the potential of the chip, which is at the cutting edge of technological advances.

The D-Wave chip has 128 quantum bits (or "qubits") which have the capability of encoding the two digits of one and zero at the same time – as opposed to traditional bits, which distinctly encode either a one or a zero. This property, called "superposition," will allow quantum computing systems to perform complicated calculations exponentially faster than traditional computers.

With the construction of the multi-million dollar quantum computing center, USC now has the infrastructure in place to support future generations of quantum computer chips, positioning the school and its partners at the forefront of quantum computing research.

"The USC Lockheed Martin Quantum Computing Center will open new windows into the fascinating world of quantum computing," said USC Viterbi Dean Yannis C. Yortsos. "It will help advance our understanding of the potential of this new technology and provide a new paradigm in the quest for faster and more secure computing."