EPCC joins new national quantum computing Hub

30 July 2024

EPCC will be part of a new Hub that will develop the technologies needed for the UK to play a key role in quantum computing.

Announced by the Science Secretary Peter Kyle, the five new Quantum Technology Hubs will bring researchers and businesses together to develop groundbreaking quantum technologies that will directly impact people's lives in areas like healthcare, security, and clean energy. They will be based across the UK, in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Oxford, and London. EPCC will be part of the Hub for Quantum Computing via Integrated and Interconnected Implementations (QCI3).

“EPCC’s mission has always been to understand how to effectively exploit novel compute, and quantum computing is the latest frontier in that mission. We’re excited to be partnering with experts across the UK in this ambitious research and to contribute to bringing hybrid quantum-HPC closer to reality.”

Professor Mark Parsons EPCC Director

QCI3: Hub for Quantum Computing via Integrated and Interconnected Implementations

QCI3 will develop technologies for building quantum computers, a market estimated to be worth $1.3 trillion by 2030, working closely with industry partners to identify and develop real-world applications of quantum computing, including focusing on design for new materials, chemicals, fluid simulation techniques and machine learning.

EPCC will contribute to the work of this Hub through Dr Oliver Brown, who leads EPCC's Quantum Group. Oliver will co-lead the Hub's Theme 3 (Quantum Computing enabled science and applications) along with Professor Vivien Kendon of Strathclyde University. He will also lead a work package in the tools theme on HPC programming models for analogue quantum computing.

Led by Professor Dominic O’Brien, University of Oxford, this Hub will focus on major elements where collaborative academic research bringing together broad expertise can enable transformative progress, including: 

  • Solving systems-level problems requiring collaboration across hardware, software, and user communities
  • Developing experimental capabilities and testbeds to address technology development and problems that industry and academia see on the horizon
  • Creating strong links to applications scientists by developing sector-specific projects. 

Research themes

The QCI3 Hub's work programme will be organised around closely connected research themes:

  • T1. Integrated quantum demonstrators will bring together taskforces developing hardware, software and applications for quantum computing, with the goal of producing systems capable of quantum advantage in the near term. 
  • T2. Interconnected Quantum Computing systems will address the challenges of building large-scale interconnected systems. 
  • T3. Quantum Computing enabled science and applications will bring together applications scientists with experts in quantum software to advance algorithms and use cases. 

Key to all these themes is work on overarching tools for quantum computing, including qubit optimisation, error reduction, verification at scale, and the use of digital twins for benchmarking and engineering. 

"I'm delighted be a part of the QCI3 hub, which is tackling some of the critical research problems on the road not just to useful quantum computing, but to quantum computing which is useful for scientists and engineers. These are the heaviest users of EPCC's existing classical facilities, and I believe the people who may one day benefit the most from quantum accelerators."

Dr Oliver Brown EPCC Quantum Group leader

QCI3 partners

QCI3 brings together more than 50 investigators across 18 universities to address key challenges and deliver applications across diverse areas of engineering and science. The Hub will work with 27 industrial partners, the National Quantum Computing Centre, the National Physical Laboratory, academia, regulators, Government and the wider community to achieve its goals. 

The QCI3 Hub is led from the University of Oxford. Partner Universities are Bath, Cambridge, Cardiff, Durham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Imperial, Newcastle, NPL, Open University, RHUL, Sheffield, Southampton, Strathclyde, Sussex, UCL, Warwick. 

The Hub will run from 1st December 2024-30th November 2029. 

Further information

UKRI announcement: 
https://www.ukri.org/news/five-hubs-launched-to-ensure-the-uk-benefits-from-quantum-future/

Research at EPCC:
https://www.epcc.ed.ac.uk/research