Quantum Research and Education to Power the Future
“The Quantum Science and Engineering Center (QSEC) was established in February 2018 as a George Mason University Center for Advanced Study supported by the Provost Office of Research. In 2025, QSEC was rechartered jointly by the College of Science and the College of Engineering and Computing. The Center’s primary mission is to accelerate the second quantum revolution by combining the efforts of physicists, mathematicians, computer scientists, and engineers. QSEC pursues these goals in collaboration with industrial partners, government organizations, and national consortia.
QSEC has grown beyond its roots as a materials science organization to a community of Mason scientists and engineers interested in advancing quantum technology. Our members focus on creating quantum algorithms for quantum computing, constructing ultra-sensitive quantum sensors, designing and discovering quantum materials for new computing technologies, and building training programs to prepare Mason students for a technological workforce that will increasingly require a knowledge of quantum science and engineering.
QSEC supports the exploration of these high-risk high-reward ideas by fostering a collaborative, interdisciplinary, community-focused environment at Mason where some of the most challenging problems in quantum can be freely explored in new ways through convergent research. This provides a unique environment and access for graduate students, undergraduate students, and postdoctoral researchers to make transformative contributions to quantum technology. Please explore our website to learn more about our efforts in research and education, and feel free to reach out if you are interested in collaborating with QSEC or learning more about quantum at Mason!
Start Your Quantum Career
The quantum industry is growing, creating demand for scientists, engineers, and technology professionals with expertise across disciplines. George Mason University prepares students to enter this emerging field through degree programs, hands-on research, internships, and opportunities to build expertise in quantum science and engineering.
QSEC Research
Science at quantum scale controls chemistry and the behavior of materials, therefore the “second quantum revolution” develops new electronics and digital information technologies. Quantum materials host collective electronic phenomena that exhibit unconventional behaviors and can potentially serve as the basis for entirely new computing concepts. Advancements in technology are inevitably driven by the combination of new, nonclassical materials, sensors, and algorithms. Success in such areas requires a new generation of interdisciplinary researchers who approach quantum with an open mind.
- George Mason partners with Oxford-based TreQ to bring the first open-architecture quantum computing system to Virginia
George Mason University and Oxford-based frontier computing company TreQ announced a groundbreaking partnership this week to bring open-architecture quantum infrastructure to the Commonwealth of Virginia beginning […] - Expanding George Mason’s presence in South Korea’s emerging quantum ecosystem
As South Korea accelerates its national investment in quantum science and technology, George Mason University’s Quantum Science and Engineering Center (QSEC) is strengthening its engagement […] - Faculty philanthropy fuels quantum innovation with $3 million gift
Quantum science is a revolution in the making, and a recent donation by Department of Physics and Astronomy Professor Paul So has placed George Mason University at […] - George Mason launches new MS in quantum science and engineering
George Mason University has launched a new master of science in quantum science and engineering, the first program of its kind in Virginia and one of […] - Quantum Algorithms for High-Performance Analysis of Single-Cell Omics Data and Explainable Drug Discovery.
Fei Li, Associate Professor, Computer Science, College of Engineering and Computing (CEC), received funding for the project: “Quantum Algorithms for High-Performance Analysis of Single-Cell Omics Data […] - George Mason pathways program introduces high schoolers to quantum
Quantum science may operate at the tiniest scales of the universe, but its potential to reshape our world is anything but small. This summer, George Mason […]
Partnerships
DOE
BAH
MQA
2DCC-MIP
NIST
QED-C
MITRE
