Florida Atlantic University (FAU), in collaboration with dual-platform quantum hardware provider D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NASDAQ: QBTS), has received a $200,000 cooperative agreement award from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Awarded through NIST’s Regional Alliances and Multistakeholder Partnerships to Stimulate (RAMPS) Cybersecurity Education and Workforce Development program, the grant funds the establishment of a regional quantum cybersecurity workforce consortium across South Florida.
The initiative, titled “Building the Quantum Cybersecurity Workforce in the Palm Beach and Treasure Coast Region,” integrates quantum computing, cybersecurity, and critical energy infrastructure protection. Led by FAU’s College of Engineering and Computer Science and the Florida Power & Light (FPL) Center for Intelligent Energy Technologies (InETech), the program develops hands-on workshops, case studies, and training modules aligned with the NICE Workforce Framework for Cybersecurity. The curriculum leverages FAU’s upcoming on-premises deployment of a dedicated 4,400+ qubit D-Wave Advantage2™ annealing quantum system on its Boca Raton campus.
| [ FAU & NIST RAMPS Quantum Cybersecurity Consortium Overview ] | ||
|---|---|---|
| Program Metric | Award Framework & Hardware Access | Regional Scope & Target Infrastructure |
| • Granting Agency & Award | • NIST RAMPS Program ($200,000 Cooperative Agreement) • One of 9 organizations selected across 8 states | • Establishes regional quantum cybersecurity education pathways across Palm Beach, Broward, Martin, St. Lucie, and Indian River counties |
| • Hardware & Simulation Assets | • On-premises D-Wave Advantage2™ (4,400+ qubits) • FPL InETech hardware-in-the-loop power simulators | • Hands-on cybersecurity training for power grid systems, smart space infrastructure, and defense networks |
| • Consortium Stakeholders | • FAU (Lead), D-Wave Quantum Inc., InfraGard South Florida • Palm Beach & Broward County Public Schools | • Connects K-12, higher education, FBI private-sector partners, public utilities, and regional employers |
The consortium connects academia, private sector critical infrastructure partners via the InfraGard South Florida Members Alliance, and K-12 school districts. By pairing real-world power grid simulation environments with quantum annealing access, the partnership establishes a workforce pipeline trained to secure critical infrastructure against emerging post-quantum cryptographic threats.
Review the corporate announcement on the here, inspect university details on the here, read national distribution reporting via here, and examine our previous coverage on FAU’s on-premises D-Wave Advantage2 installation here.
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