en.Wedoany.com Reported - Alfred University and Classiq today jointly announced the launch of a quantum computing initiative, leveraging Classiq's quantum software engineering platform to support engineering education, applied energy systems research, and talent development for the emerging quantum workforce.
The initiative combines Alfred University's expertise in applied engineering, ceramics, glass and materials engineering, and energy systems with Classiq's advanced quantum software platform, enabling students and researchers to build quantum programs without starting from gate-level circuit design. Through the Classiq platform, students and researchers without deep coding skills can utilize this technology, bridging the gap between theory and practical application.
At Alfred University's Inamori School of Engineering, Junpeng Zhan, Assistant Professor of Renewable Energy Engineering, has already introduced quantum computing to students through the Classiq platform, helping them focus on concepts, algorithms, and engineering problems. Zhan stated that he has incorporated quantum computing content into multiple courses and conducted outreach activities through research projects funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), including hands-on demonstrations for local BOCES students. Zhan's research covers electrical engineering, power systems, and optimization, with a focus on the unit commitment problem—where utilities and grid operators decide which generating units should operate and at what output levels to minimize operational costs while meeting electricity demand. By exploring quantum computing approaches to these optimization problems, Alfred University is investigating new tools for future energy systems research.
Zhan has previously applied quantum computing in his research. He completed a 2022 NSF-funded project with two students that used quantum computing to simulate and find solutions to power system problems. He also collaborated with the Rochester Institute of Technology on a 2024 authorized project funded by ISO-New England, studying how quantum computing can be used to solve power system optimization problems. ISO-New England is an independent, non-profit company dedicated to ensuring reliable, competitively priced wholesale electricity for the New England states.
The Alfred University and Classiq initiative will also collaborate with S. K. Sundaram, Inamori Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, to explore quantum materials, researching quantum approaches to the development and testing of advanced ceramic materials. The initiative also plans to explore future projects around AI-assisted quantum learning, including educational programs that integrate AI-assisted quantum software tools into quantum computing instruction. The two parties are also discussing a potential multi-institutional grant proposal aimed at expanding access to quantum computing education, involving Alfred University as well as community colleges and institutions within the State University of New York and City University of New York (CUNY) systems.
