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October 13, 2025
Location: SB 156
Time: 1:00 pm
Presenter: Thomas Searles
Quantum Engineering beyond the NISQ era
Quantum information technology is emerging and expected to disrupt current critical communications, computing, and sensing infrastructure. Importantly, each of the near-term applications of quantum information are recognized globally as challenging in both a scientific and technological sense. Key limiting factors of quantum advantage over traditional technologies is fault-tolerance, noise reduction and error correction. As such, an emerging field, quantum engineering aims to using traditional engineering principles and apply them to quantum phenomena, systems and devices.
In this talk, we will present recent examples of quantum engineering research. First, we will show adaptation of a black-box quantum algorithm (Deutsch-Josza) based on a metamaterial-based graded-index lens fors operation in the THz regime. Then, we present the temperature dependence and characterization of single photon outputs from a fiber-based entangled photon source expected for applications in a quantum-enabled internet. In the third section, we will present a quantum state tomography framework where state reconstruction is directly obtained from a set of measurements (both from optical and near-term intermediate scale superconducting qubit-based quantum hardware) and features enhanced application performance from a suite of artificial intelligence tools . Finally, we present new results in intensity-based mode detection and information encoding for free-space optical communications.
Further, the community also recognizes that the realization of advanced quantum technologies requires a skilled, diverse workforce to bring ideas central to quantum information to real-world application outside of the laboratory. As such, we will detail present activities at UIC to update an ABET-accredited Engineering Physics curricula and encourage students to gain experience and knowledge in quantum engineering.
Professor Thomas A. Searles is a quantum engineer, and experimental condensed matter physicist, from Albany, GA. He graduated from Morehouse College with a B.S. in Mathematics and Physics and Rice University with a PhD in Applied Physics. In 2021, Searles joined the University of Illinois Chicago as an Associate Professor, under the University System’s Distinguished Faculty Recruitment Program. Prior to UIC, he was a Martin Luther King Visiting Professor at MIT and served as the Director of the IBM-HBCU Quantum Center at Howard University. In 2024, Thomas was elected to be the next president of the the National Society of Black Physicists.
He currently leads a multi-year multimillion dollar consortium for quantum engineering education sponsored by the Department of Energy. In recognition for his research in light-matter interactions and his capability to mentor students in Physics and Engineering, Thomas was awarded the inaugural AIP-NSBP Joseph A. Johnson Award for Excellence and an NSF CAREER Award. Recently, Thomas was appointed as an APS DLS Distinguished Traveling Lecturer and member-at-large of the US National Committee for Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, National Academies.
Light Lunch will be served.
