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

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

With the construction of a new quantum computing center at its Information Sciences Institute campus in Marina del Rey, USC charts a new course into the future of computing.

MARINA DEL REY, Calif., Oct. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

            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
    WHAT:   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

            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,
    ABOUT:  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."

About the Viterbi School of Engineering: Engineering Studies began at the University of Southern California in 1905. Nearly a century later, the Viterbi School of Engineering received a naming gift in 2004 from alumnus Andrew J. Viterbi, inventor of the Viterbi algorithm now key to cell phone technology and numerous data applications. Consistently ranked among the top graduate programs in the world, the school enrolls more than 2,100 undergraduate students and 4,200 graduate students, taught by 168 tenured and tenure-track faculty, with 50 endowed chairs and professorships. For more information, please visit http://viterbi.usc.edu

CONTACT:
Katie Dunham
knd@usc.edu
(213) 821-5555

SOURCE  USC Viterbi School of Engineering

USC Viterbi School of Engineering

Web Site: http://viterbi.usc.edu