Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Science Foundation's Division of Chemistry awarded $609,539 to the University of Rhode Island under the Mathematical and Physical Sciences program (CFDA 47.049) on July 1, 2026, for a five-year CAREER grant focused on developing molecular quantum bits (qubits) for quantum information science. Professor Daniel N. Huh will conduct fundamental research to synthesize and characterize a new class of molecule-based quantum compounds utilizing low-valent Group 4 metals (titanium, zirconium, and hafnium) and rare-earth elements. The primary deliverable is the development of design principles governing quantum coherence and spin dynamics in inorganic metal complexes through systematic variations in metal identity and ligand architecture, with the goal of understanding and mitigating electron spin decoherence in these molecular systems.

In parallel, the award integrates workforce development and educational outreach as core deliverables. The project will produce accessible quantum science educational resources for the Rare Earth Research Conference Summer School, contribute open-source teaching materials to the Virtual Inorganic Pedagogical Electronic Resource (VIPER), develop classroom-ready quantum science modules for K-8 teachers in Rhode Island, and provide research mentoring and hands-on training opportunities for high school students through the American Chemical Society Project SEED program. These integrated research and educational components aim to broaden participation in quantum science while advancing fundamental understanding of low-valent metal complexes and their quantum properties through June 30, 2031.