The Eddleman Quantum Institute (EQI) at UC Santa Barbara has announced a new round of funding to accelerate diverse research projects ranging from quantum sensing to the modeling of curved spacetime. This latest investment continues the legacy of the late philanthropist Roy Eddleman, whose trust has provided a combined $64.7 million to UCSB, Caltech, and UC Irvine to foster a collaborative quantum ecosystem in Southern California. The funding arrives as UCSB cements its status as a global epicenter for the field, following the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics awarded to professors Michel Devoret and John Martinis for their work on superconducting circuits.
The EQI portfolio for this year provides critical seed funding for eight faculty-led projects while supporting graduate and undergraduate fellows. Co-directed by professors David Weld, Ania Jayich, and Stephen Wilson, the institute emphasizes “curiosity-driven” research intended to open new directions in quantum science. Notable projects in this cohort include Andrea Young’s study of atomically thin superconductors, Andrew Jayich’s development of multi-ion atomic clocks for ultraprecise timekeeping, and Susanne Stemmer’s exploration of quantum phenomena as a foundation for universal quantum computation.
Technical milestones targeted in this round include Galan Moody’s initiative to enable the entanglement of multiple photons across different buildings on the UCSB campus, a key step toward distributed quantum networking. Additionally, David Weld will utilize “shaken quantum matter” to model the physics of curved spacetime, while Ania Jayich focuses on improving the readout efficiency of quantum sensors. By supporting 29 graduate students since 2020 and expanding into interdisciplinary materials science, the EQI aims to translate foundational physics into the next generation of photonic devices, LEDs, and high-sensitivity sensors.
For the full list of faculty recipients and project details, consult the official UC Santa Barbara announcement here.
March 14, 2026
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