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Matt Eichenfield named inaugural Karl Gustafson Endowed Chair of Quantum Engineering

Charles Ferrer — Thu, 25 Sep 2025 21:17:12 +0000

Matt Eichenfield named inaugural Karl Gustafson Endowed Chair of Quantum Engineering Charles Ferrer Thu, 09/25/2025 - 15:17

Charles Ferrer

Award-winning physicist Matt Eichenfield has been named the inaugural Karl Gustafson Endowed Chair of Quantum Engineering in the Department of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering at ��ɫ��Ƶ.

A recognized leader in ultra-scalable photonics, nano-optomechanics and phononics, Eichenfield’s career spans academia and government. He is dedicated to advancing the frontiers of quantum science and technology, as well as classical optical and RF systems.

“��ɫ��Ƶ is where you can assemble a team of the world’s leading experts across physics, engineering and beyond to go after really audacious goals in quantum,” Eichenfield said. “The quantum ecosystem at ��ɫ��Ƶ and Colorado is unmatched, and I’m excited to collaborate with researchers and companies who are already leading the way in quantum technologies that will impact the world.”

The endowed chair honors the career of Professor Emeritus Karl Gustafson, whose belief in multidisciplinary research anticipated the kinds of breakthroughs that now define quantum engineering.

“The Karl Gustafson Endowed Chair represents both a legacy and a vision to tackle the world’s most complex challenges,” said Keith Molenaar, dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Science. “Matt Eichenfield is an extraordinary scholar and mentor who will further strengthen our leadership in quantum engineering, and we are thrilled to welcome him to CU Engineering.”

Eichenfield most recently worked at the University of Arizona’s Wyant College of Optical Sciences, where he held the International Society for Optics and Photonics Endowed Chair and was the co-director of the Center for Quantum Networks — a National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center.

He holds a joint appointment at Sandia National Laboratories, recognizing his research and leadership at a federal lab whose mission includes state-of-the-art solutions for national security. At Sandia, he founded and led the Micro Electro Mechanical Systems–Enabled Quantum Systems group, pioneering approaches that combine advanced micro- and nano-fabrication with quantum engineering. His work has enabled devices that push the boundaries of both classical and quantum technologies.

This perspective, working within national lab facilities while mentoring students, remains central to his vision for ��ɫ��Ƶ.

“My experience in fabricating myriad nanotechnologies for classical and quantum applications gives me a unique perspective on how to engineer leading quantum systems,” he said. “I’m excited to share this with undergraduate and graduate students, teaching them how to build quantum devices and preparing them to go into the quantum industry.”

Quantum Nanophoxonics Laboratory led by Eichenfield.

Shaping the next generation of quantum scientists

Eichenfield emphasizes giving students access to the real-world challenges and partnerships that define the fast-growing quantum sector.

“Coming to ��ɫ��Ƶ means you’ll get to work with world-class faculty, along with companies revolutionizing quantum computing,” Eichenfield said. “My research group also gets to work alongside Sandia scientists who are pursuing quantum solutions vital to the U.S. economy and national security.”

His advice to students is simple but bold: Seek out the hardest problems.

“You should work on the most challenging engineering or scientific challenges you can find,” he said. “Those are the most exciting and rewarding problems to tackle and because of that they draw the best and the brightest who have to leverage the very limits of science and engineering to solve those problems. There’s no more difficult and exciting field right now than quantum computing and quantum sensing.”

A career shaped by discovery

Eichenfield’s path into physics and quantum engineering began in high school, where an inspiring physics teacher sparked his interest in science. As an undergraduate at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, he immersed himself in laboratory work, eventually joining the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory project at the California Institute of Technology as a summer and then year-round intern.

He stayed on at Caltech for graduate school in physics, where he studied nanoscale photonic and phononic systems. His work centered on building devices sensitive enough to detect the tiniest possible vibrations allowed by quantum mechanics.

He explains the concept with a tuning fork analogy: Strike it and you hear vibrations. Strike it softer and softer and eventually the sound disappears. But quantum mechanics tells us that even when no energy is added, a tiny motion still remains — quantum ground-state fluctuations.

“The devices I built for my PhD were the first that could actually detect those ground-state fluctuations,” Eichenfield said. “It was both my intro to quantum science and a lesson in how engineering at the nanoscale can reveal phenomena that nothing else has ever been able to observe.”

After completing his PhD, he became the first Kavli Nanoscience Prize Postdoctoral Fellow at Caltech before joining Sandia as a Harry S. Truman Fellow.

Eichenfield — who holds 22 patents — continues to build on research and innovation. His group is developing piezoelectric optomechanical photonic circuits for quantum computers that use ions and neutral atoms as qubits, as well as novel infrared detectors with applications in spectroscopy, imaging and sensing.

Quantum’s global future

��ɫ��Ƶ is leading a first-of-its-kind National Quantum Nanofab (NQN) facility that will provide researchers from universities, government and industry with the tools to fabricate and test innovative quantum devices. Eichenfield hopes to forge those collaborations through the NQN.

"Our legacy in scientific leadership has driven global progress in quantum science for decades,” said Massimo Ruzzene, senior vice chancellor for research and innovation. “With initiatives like our CUbit Quantum Initiative and the Colorado Quantum Incubator, ��ɫ��Ƶ is at the forefront of the development of quantum technologies, through the advances of our own faculty, as well as increased collaboration with the regional and national quantum communities. The promise of quantum technologies is going to be realized in the foreseeable future."

Eichenfield points to the so-called traveling salesman problem and other optimization problems, such as airline scheduling, global shipping logistics and supply chain management, that quantum computers could solve exponentially faster than classical computers. Quantum computing also can innovate new drug discovery, enabling researchers to simulate molecular interactions at a level of complexity that classical computers cannot achieve.

“Quantum computing will impact the lives of everyone on the planet in ways we can’t even imagine yet,” Eichenfield said. “Society has a lot to gain, and ��ɫ��Ƶ is at the forefront of making that future possible.”

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14er science: Quantum physicists measure whether time moves faster on a mountaintop

Charles Ferrer — Wed, 24 Sep 2025 15:47:30 +0000

14er science: Quantum physicists measure whether time moves faster on a mountaintop Charles Ferrer Wed, 09/24/2025 - 09:47

Researchers from ��ɫ��Ƶ are tackling one of the biggest challenges in quantum today: after years of scientific advancement, can we take quantum technology out of the lab and into the real and unforgiving world?

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Power electronics researchers awarded $1.5M to advance energy technologies

Charles Ferrer — Thu, 11 Sep 2025 19:37:50 +0000

Power electronics researchers awarded $1.5M to advance energy technologies Charles Ferrer Thu, 09/11/2025 - 13:37

Charles Ferrer

Luca Corradini

Imagine a future where electric vehicle charging stations or AI data center power supply systems can be built like LEGO bricks — small, stackable units that can expand as demand grows.

Luca Corradini, associate professor in the Department of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering, is embarking on such a project at the ��ɫ��Ƶ, thanks to a $1.5 million award from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E).

“This research serves as an excellent example of the crucial importance and versatility of power electronics in today’s rapidly evolving energy technology landscape,” said Corradini. “With these innovations, industries could adopt new energy conversion solutions while making power grids more resilient, flexible and affordable.”

At its core, the project will design a Universal AC-DC Electrical Power Mover (UPM) to convert electricity from one form to another — alternating current (AC), which powers our homes and businesses, into direct current (DC), the type needed for things like fast EV charging, storing energy from solar panels or powering large AI data centers. Unlike today’s technologies, the UPM is both modular and versatile.

“We’re designing the UPM as a compact ‘brick’ that can connect directly to other identical bricks just like LEGOs,” Corradini said, who is also a faculty member at the Colorado Power Electronics Center (CoPEC). “Companies can start small and scale up their systems as needed, without a complete redesign.”

This stackable design not only simplifies installation but also allows systems to connect seamlessly to different kinds of power grids, whether lower voltage single-phase systems used in homes, or three-phase power utilized on long-distance high tension lines. Flexibility across electric grids is especially important in the United States since grid connections vary widely across regions.

Traditional power transformers, essential devices that convert voltage levels for safe and efficient electricity use, have been around for more than a century. More modern solid-state transformers are beginning to replace them, but they remain limited in their versatility and scalability.

Corradini, along with Distinguished Professor Dragan Maksimovic who is collaborating on the project, is working to break through those barriers. The UPM’s modularity and reconfigurable design could reduce costs across design, manufacturing, deployment and maintenance stages, while also opening new possibilities for energy systems.

Promising applications include EV fast charging stations, which today require costly, large-scale infrastructure, as well as large AI data centers, whose tremendous growth in electricity demand calls for scalable power solutions.

The system’s bi-directional capability also means energy could flow both ways: from the grid to vehicles or from sources like solar panels back into the grid. That could prove especially valuable in rural or poorly served areas, where additional energy support is needed.

In partnership with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the researchers and graduate students will leverage the ARPA-E funding for extensive prototyping, lab equipment and technology-to-market efforts, including patent development and industry outreach.

Luca Corradini, associate professor in the Department of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering, is advancing energy technologies at ��ɫ��Ƶ thanks to a $1.5 million award from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy.

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New optical technique could transform brain imaging in animals

Charles Ferrer — Thu, 04 Sep 2025 14:10:32 +0000

New optical technique could transform brain imaging in animals Charles Ferrer Thu, 09/04/2025 - 08:10

Charles Ferrer

Catherine Saladrigas

��ɫ��Ƶ postdoc Catherine Saladrigas is helping bring high-resolution imaging into miniature microscopes for neuroscience research.

In a promising leap forward for imaging, Saladrigas and a team of researchers have developed an optical method that could one day allow scientists to observe brain activity in animals with more clarity, which could provide insights for the human brain. Their research, published in Applied Physics Letters, tackles one of the key challenges in brain imaging: how to miniaturize complex optical systems without sacrificing resolution or contrast.

Saladrigas has been exploring ways to translate benchtop imaging techniques into tiny, head-mounted microscopes working alongside Professors Juliet Gopinath in the Department of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering and the Department of Physics and Victor Bright in the Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering. These devices could enable real-time, in vivo studies of neural activity in animals yielding payoffs in the areas of neuroscience.

“Our goal was to come up with a strategy for high-resolution, high-contrast imaging that would work well in a miniaturized system,” Saladrigas said.

Traditional pixel-shifting technologies like those used in digital projectors and cameras enhance image resolution by making tiny sub-pixel movements. But in imaging systems, achieving this effect typically requires bulky optics or mechanically stabilized components. Both would be difficult for compact systems like wearable microscopes.

To overcome these design limitations, the team turned to a lesser-used technology: the tunable electrowetting prism, an electrically tunable liquid prism. This optical component uses fluid dynamics and electric fields to adjust the angles of a prism and shift an image laterally without any mechanical parts.

“We showed that an electrowetting prism could perform the image-shifting normally done with much bulkier components,” Saladrigas said. “That makes it a great opportunity for miniature imaging systems.”

The inspiration came from an unlikely place: projector technology. Saladrigas adapted a technique called wobulation, originally developed to make digital projectors appear higher resolution.

In wobulation, a display flickers between slightly offset images to create the perception of finer detail. Her team applied a similar concept to structured illumination microscopy, an imaging method that enhances contrast by shining patterned light on a sample.

“No one has applied a wobulation-like method to structured light microscopy before,” Saladrigas said, “and certainly not with a tunable electrowetting device.”

Though the project is still in its early stages, initial results are encouraging. The team successfully demonstrated the method on a benchtop system using test patterns.

“We compared our experimental results to theoretical predictions and were really happy with how close the results were,” she said.

The project drew on expertise from across the university and beyond. Saladrigas credited Bright’s background in fabrication and electrowetting devices, Gopinath’s optics experience and the contributions of colleagues like Eduardo Miscles, a former PhD student in mechanical engineering, who fabricated the device. The team also collaborated with researchers from Columbia University, Vikrant Kumar and Professor John Kymissis, who developed the custom LED light source used in the project.

The next phase? Miniaturization. Saladrigas is setting sights to integrate the technique into an actual head-mounted microscope, ideally one that can be tested on freely moving mice or voles in collaboration with ��ɫ��Ƶ and CU Anschutz neuroscientists.

“There’s so much happening in the brain during behavior with motion and visual cues,” Saladrigas said, “and we want to give neuroscientists a clearer window into all of it.”

��ɫ��Ƶ postdoc Catherine Saladrigas is helping bring high-resolution imaging into miniature microscopes for neuroscience research.

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New bioimaging device holds potential for eye and heart condition detection

Charles Ferrer — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 16:21:08 +0000

New bioimaging device holds potential for eye and heart condition detection Charles Ferrer Wed, 08/13/2025 - 10:21

Charles Ferrer

If you’ve been to a routine eye exam at the optometrist’s office, chances are you’ve had to place your chin and forehead up close to a bioimaging device.

It’s known as optical coherence tomography (OCT) and widely used in eye clinics around the world. OCT uses light waves to take high-resolution, cross-sectional images of the retina in a non-invasive manner.

Samuel Gilinsky

These images can be essential for diagnosing and monitoring eye conditions.

In any bioimaging — either retinal or in-vivo, imaging that takes place inside the human body — devices require them to be quite small, compact that can produce high-quality images.

However, mechanical aspects of OCT devices, like spinning mirrors can increase the chance of device failure.

Researchers at ��ɫ��Ƶ have developed a new bioimaging device that can operate with significantly lower power and in an entirely non-mechanical way. It could one day improve detecting eye and even heart conditions.

In a recent study published in Optics Express, the team of engineers created a device that uses a process called electrowetting to change the surface shape of a liquid to perform optical functions.

“We are really excited about using one of our devices, in particular for retinal imaging,” said lead author Samuel Gilinsky, a recent PhD graduate in electrical engineering. “This could be a critical technique for in-vivo imaging for inside our bodies.”

By creating a device that doesn’t use scanning mirrors, the technique requires less electrical power than other devices used for OCT and bioimaging.

“The benefits of non-mechanical scanning is that you eliminate the need to physically move objects in your device, which reduces any sources of mechanical failure and increases the overall longevity of the device itself,” Gilinsky said.

Gilinsky noted the need for these OCT systems to be compact, lightweight and, most importantly, safe for use for the human body.

Other members of the research team included Juliet Gopinath, professor of electrical engineering; Shu-Wei Huang, associate professor of electrical engineering; Victor Bright, professor of mechanical engineering; PhD graduates Jan Bartos and Eduardo Miscles; and PhD student Jonathan Musgrave.

“Our work presents an opportunity where we can hopefully detect health conditions earlier and improve the lives of people,” said Gopinath.

Where zebrafish meets the eye

A cross-section image of the cornea and iris of a zebrafish eye. These images allowed CU researchers to verify that their OCT device can resolve structure in biological samples.

To test the device’s ability to perform biomedical imaging, the researchers turned to a surprising aquatic animal: zebrafish.

Zebrafish have been used in OCT research because the structure of their eyes is fairly similar to the structure of the human eye. For the study, the researchers focused on identifying where the cornea, iris and retina was from the zebrafish.

To conduct in-vivo or other bioimaginging, scientists need to be able to identify the structure of the samples of interest, such as the eye or organs inside the body. The two benchmarks that the group hoped to achieve were 10 micron in axial resolution and then around 5 microns in lateral resolution, all smaller than the width of a human hair.

“The interesting result was that we were able to actually delineate the cornea and iris in our images,” said Gilinsky. “We were able to meet the resolution targets we aimed for, which was exciting.”

Being able to test this bioimaging device can open new doors for mapping aspects of the retina that can be essential for diagnosing potential eye conditions like age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma.

Additionally, Gilinsky said, the new bioimagining technique could help in delineating actual human coronary features that would be important in diagnosing heart disease — the leading cause of death in the United States.

With the research team’s expertise in microscopy systems, they are hopeful to create endoscopes that could revolutionize bioimaging technology.

“There is a growing push to make endoscopes as small in diameter and flexible as possible to cause as little discomfort as possible,” he said. “By using our components, we can maintain a very small scale optical system compared to a mechanical scanner that can help OCT technologies.”

The project was funded by the Office of Naval Research, National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation.

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ECEE welcomes new faculty for fall 2025

Charles Ferrer — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 17:15:28 +0000

ECEE welcomes new faculty for fall 2025 Charles Ferrer Mon, 08/11/2025 - 11:15

The Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering Department at the ��ɫ��Ƶ is welcoming four new faculty members. Meet our new faculty and see why we're excited about these talented individuals!

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Researchers test the trustworthiness of AI—by playing sudoku

Charles Ferrer — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 16:07:05 +0000

Researchers test the trustworthiness of AI—by playing sudoku Charles Ferrer Tue, 07/29/2025 - 10:07

A team of computer scientists and study co-author Fabio Somenzi, professor in the Department of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering discovered that some AI large language models can solve sudoku puzzles, but even the best ones struggle to explain how they did it.

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Narayanswamy shapes the future of imaging, one lens at a time

Charles Ferrer — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 19:00:02 +0000

Narayanswamy shapes the future of imaging, one lens at a time Charles Ferrer Wed, 07/09/2025 - 13:00

Charles Ferrer

Ram Narayanswamy (PhDElEngr’96) has spent more than 30 years pushing the limits of what cameras and sensors can see and how they see it. With a career spanning optics and 3D sensing at organizations like NASA and Intel Corporation, the ��ɫ��Ƶ alumnus and PhD graduate in electrical engineering has spent his career building innovative imaging systems.

Now a fellow and head of technical marketing at NIL Technology, Narayanswamy is helping to usher in the next generation of ultra-compact imaging systems through flat optics, also known as meta-optics, advancing lenses in the same way compact discs once revolutionized analog music.

“A vinyl record is analog. A CD is digital,” Narayanswamy said. “Meta-optics does the same for lenses, bringing them into the digital age using materials and manufacturing processes from the semiconductor industry.”

His interest in optics began during his time at NASA’s Langley Research Center, where he worked in a group that conducted research in imaging. After four years at NASA, he decided to pursue a PhD in electrical engineering.

His doctoral research, which was advised by former ��ɫ��Ƶ Professor Kristina M. Johnson, focused on detecting cancer cells in cervical smear slides. This work combined optical signal processing and what would now be called machine vision and artificial intelligence.

“Most medical screening slides are normal and hence a medical professional’s attention examining the slide can fade and miss abnormal cells,” he said. “We developed a system that could flag abnormal cells. With the doctor focusing on just the abnormal cells, the screening test leads to improved decision making and diagnosis.”

That fusion of optical systems and artificial intelligence design laid the foundation for a career that would help define how modern imaging technologies are built and applied.

Upon completing his PhD, Narayanswamy joined CDM Optics, a ��ɫ��Ƶ spin-out company, often credited with pioneering the field of computational imaging.

A legacy of innovation and impact

NIL Technology wins the prestigious Prism Award for the NILT metaEye™. (Credit: SPIE Photonics West)

Narayanswamy’s technical accomplishments are as numerous as they are influential. He holds 13 patents; has authored over 40 technical papers and presentations; and helped pioneer technologies like wavefront coding, array cameras and depth sensors.

In 1991, while at NASA, he co-authored a seminal paper on camera characterization, better known today as the ‘slanted-edge MTF test,’ a worldwide standard to measure camera modulation transfer function. While at Intel Labs, he incubated Intel’s RealSense multi-camera system, which won the Best of Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2015 award.

Most recently, his team at NIL Technology won the 2025 SPIE Prism Award for the metaEye™, an ultra-compact eye-tracking camera designed for AR/VR glasses.

Narayanswamy said that the technology could transform user experiences across a wide range of use-cases, including manufacturing, retail, entertainment and health tech.

“Imagine wearing AR glasses that know what you’re looking at,” he said. “In a grocery store, it could show you product info. As a tourist, it could identify cultural and historic landmarks. At a party, it could remind you of someone’s name.”

In a semiconductor fab setting or a hospital operating theater, he said, it can deliver the relevant information needed to complete the complex tasks. The technology also has other powerful applications in medicine and diagnostics.

“There’s huge potential in health technology. I can’t share specifics because of proprietary reasons,” he added, “but if you look up eye tracking in medical technology, you’ll find many exciting developments.”

Narayanswamy was key in bringing the camera project to life, not just as a technical expert, but also strategically for broad use in industry.

“My idea was: let’s not just offer nano-optics as a capability; let’s show it in action. We needed a 'show and tell’ moment that would make this science accessible to a broader audience,” he said. “That’s what the metaEyeTM camera does. Metaoptics was no longer just academic, but ready for use commercially.”

What’s next in imaging

Looking ahead, Narayanswamy is excited about the evolution of computational imaging, where lenses, sensors and algorithms are co-designed for future applications.

“Most cameras are still designed like they were in the film era, but today, cameras are digital sensors feeding algorithms. In the future, most camera data won’t be seen by a person since it’ll be analyzed by AI,” he said. “The image becomes data and that data powers decisions.”

From cancer detection and eye tracking to driver safety monitoring and augmented reality, Narayanswamy’s work shows how optics and imaging are reshaping the way we interact with the world.

Narayanswamy's family bleeds black and gold as they all have graduated from CU. (Credit: Ram Narayanswamy)

��ɫ��Ƶ roots and a legacy of giving back

Narayanswamy credits his time at CU Engineering with shaping his engineering and career journey.

“All my work, whether it’s lenses, sensors, algorithms or full camera systems, traces back to my time at the college,” he said.

He remains deeply connected to the college, serving on the Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering External Advisory Board and previously on the ATLAS Institute’s advisory board. Giving back, he says, is a way to support future engineers and honor the education that empowered his own success.

“I’ve had a great professional and academic career,” Narayanswamy said, “and I want today’s students, who are tomorrow’s leaders, to have the same kind of opportunities I had.”

His commitment to CU extends to his family. All three of his children earned degrees from the University of Colorado — ranging from electrical engineering to creative technology & design and music — and his wife earned her master’s in computer science before becoming a high school math teacher.

Advice for the next generation

His advice for aspiring engineers is both broad and practical.

“Don’t restrict yourself. Electrical engineering is foundational since you can go into a wide range of new areas in robotics, aerospace, automotive, medical tech and pretty much anything. The core skills from signal processing, power systems to electromagnetics enable everything digital.”

He referenced how everything digital contains aspects of electrical and computer engineering inside, just like the famous ‘Intel inside’ commercial.

He also encourages students to be lifelong learners.

“This field is always evolving,” he said, “your learning doesn’t end at graduation; it just begins.”

��ɫ��Ƶ alumnus Ram Narayanswamy is revolutionizing imaging technology through innovations in meta-optics and ultra-compact camera systems. His 30-year career spans NASA, Intel and now NIL Technology, where he's helping shape the future of how imaging and people see the world.

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Draper Scholar to explore 3D-printed lens design

Charles Ferrer — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 19:47:59 +0000

Draper Scholar to explore 3D-printed lens design Charles Ferrer Tue, 07/01/2025 - 13:47

Charles Ferrer

Samuel Silberman, an incoming PhD student in electrical engineering, has been named a 2025 Draper Scholar by Draper. The prestigious graduate fellowship will support his research into radio frequency (RF) lens design using advanced 3D printing and additive manufacturing.

“My Draper fellowship will focus on developing synthesis and optimization methods for the design of RF lenses,” Silberman said. “These lenses will leverage multi-material additive manufacturing and corresponding material parameters achievable through advanced 3D printing techniques.”

RF lenses are critical components in communication and radar systems, often used to create highly directional lens antennas. Through his fellowship, Silberman hopes to take advantage of innovative 3D printing capabilities to improve the performance of these devices.

The Draper Scholar Program provides five years of funding and offers scholars access to scientists and engineers at Draper in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In addition to virtual mentorship, he will travel to Draper annually to present his research and connect with other fellows across the country.

Last summer, Silberman participated in undergraduate research through Canada’s Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council program. He worked on a resonant capacitive power transfer system for electrified roadways, conducting electromagnetic analysis and designing power electronics for the system. That hands-on experience cemented his interest in RF systems and power transfer and ultimately influenced his decision to pursue his PhD at ��ɫ��Ƶ.

“I was drawn to the work being done in electromagnetic metamaterials by my advisor, Cody Scarborough,” Silberman said, “and Colorado’s great skiing and hiking scene was an added bonus.”

He will be co-advised by Rob MacCurdy, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, on the mechanical aspects of the project.

Silberman earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical and computer engineering from the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton, Canada.

“I’m really excited to contribute to the field and grow as a researcher through this opportunity,” he said.

Samuel Silberman, an incoming PhD student in electrical engineering, has been named a 2025 Draper Scholar by Draper. The prestigious graduate fellowship will support his research into radio frequency lens design using advanced 3D printing and additive manufacturing.

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Andras Gyenis receives CAREER award to develop next-generation quantum processors

Charles Ferrer — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 16:03:47 +0000

Andras Gyenis receives CAREER award to develop next-generation quantum processors Charles Ferrer Wed, 06/25/2025 - 10:03

Charles Ferrer

Andras Gyenis (Photo Credit: Jesse Petersen)

Quantum computing holds the promise to revolutionize how we solve complex problems, but today’s devices still face steep challenges. At the heart of the issue lies reliability: current quantum bits—or qubits—are extremely sensitive to environmental noise and prone to errors.

Andras Gyenis is taking a bold step to change that. Gyenis, an assistant professor in ��ɫ��Ƶ’s Department of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering, has received a prestigious five-year, $550,000 National Science Foundation CAREER award to design and build more robust superconducting qubits that could push the boundaries of quantum hardware.

Gyenis’ research focuses on superconducting Fourier qubits, a new type of quantum bit engineered to resist information loss by redundantly encoding quantum information.

Unlike conventional superconducting qubits—used by major companies like Google, IBM and Amazon—which are often vulnerable to noise, Fourier qubits are designed to suppress quantum errors at the hardware level.

“We’re using a strategy inspired by classical computing, where bits are protected from errors through smart design,” Gyenis said. “By protecting the qubit itself, we can reduce the amount of correction needed later and create more scalable systems.”

These Fourier quantum states allow qubits to store their 0 and 1 states in physically separate locations, making it less likely for environmental disturbances to accidentally flip their values. It’s an approach that combines fundamental physics with practical engineering and it may pave the way for longer-lasting, more reliable quantum processors.

Building better qubits from the ground up

The project will proceed through a combination of design, simulation, fabrication and testing. Gyenis and his team will explore novel circuit designs using numerical tools, fabricate quantum chips at ��ɫ��Ƶ’s NSF-supported National Quantum Nanofab facility and perform measurements at ultra-low temperatures—just a fraction above absolute zero.

“We’ll likely go through many iterations,” Gyenis said. “We’re taking a co-design approach: each round of measurements feeds back into the design to improve performance step by step.”

The team will also investigate active Fourier qubits—circuits whose error protection comes from oscillating external parameters. The long-term goal is to demonstrate scalable quantum hardware with built-in robustness, forming a foundation for future superconducting quantum processors.

Training the next generation of quantum engineers

In addition to cutting-edge research, Gyenis’ award supports a comprehensive education and outreach program aimed at expanding quantum engineering at ��ɫ��Ƶ. That includes developing new classes and connecting students to hands-on projects in quantum circuit design and fabrication.

“Quantum education has historically focused on physics students, but today’s challenges require an engineering mindset too,” Gyenis said. “We need to train students not just in quantum theory, but in the real-world design of quantum systems.”

His curriculum will emphasize engineering principles like device layout, signal control, nanofabrication and systems integration. Students will also explore classical analogs of Fourier qubits—mechanical systems that mimic quantum behavior—to build intuition and bridge gaps between disciplines.

A future powered by quantum solutions

While still an emerging field, quantum computing has potential applications that span far beyond science labs. With more robust hardware, these systems could one day help researchers simulate complex molecules for drug development, improve climate models, enable artificial photosynthesis and solve key challenges in cybersecurity and logistics.

“The work we’re doing could benefit fields as varied as healthcare, energy and national security,” Gyenis said. “But just as important, it will help grow a quantum-ready workforce.”

“I’m excited to pursue research that pushes the frontier of quantum hardware, while helping to build a strong quantum engineering program,” he said. “This award allows us to do both—and to do it in a way that’s accessible for the next generation of engineers.”

Andras Gyenis, assistant professor of electrical engineering, has earned a CAREER award through the National Science Foundation to design and build more robust superconducting qubits that could push the boundaries of quantum hardware.

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