Researchers
@JointQuICS are on 2 of the 5 teams selected as finalists in the $5 million
@xprize Quantum Applications competition, which challenges teams to demonstrate where quantum computing can deliver meaningful advantage over classical approaches.
@UofMaryland Ph.D. students Mahathi Vempati (@mahathi_vempat) and Jeffery Yu, along with their adviser Andrew Childs (
@andrewmchilds), collaborated with researchers
@UMich to develop a hybrid classical-quantum algorithm to solve the neutron diffusion k-eigenvalue problem, modeling nuclear criticality in heterogeneous media. Such calculations are essential for designing safe reactors, managing nuclear fuel, and modeling radiation behavior.
@JointQuICS Fellow Michael Gullans is part of a multi-institutional team that developed a framework for simulating chemistry and material properties that compute closer to underlying physics by using native fermion and boson degrees of freedom. They showed significant resource savings relative to conventional qubit-based approaches. This framework could help address pressing challenges across industry and advanced manufacturing that require material properties that depend on quantum interactions.
As the finalists enter Phase II of the competition—a stage defined by deeper technical validation, benchmarking, and execution—they will further develop their solutions with an emphasis on realistic hardware assumptions and constraints, direct quantitative comparison to leading classical methods, and clear demonstration of performance improvements and potential for real-world adoption.
xprize.org/news/from-wildcar…