Ken Brown Shares Vision for Duke Quantum Center

Ken Brown, the Michael J. Fitzpatrick Distinguished Professor of Engineering at Duke University, was recently named the director of the Duke Quantum Center (DQC) for the next two years.

Brown is a leading pioneer in the fields of quantum computer architecture and ion-trap quantum computing. He takes over from Christopher Monroe, Gilhuly Family Presidential Distinguished Professor, who led DQC since its inception in 2021.

In this Q&A, Brown discusses his vision for DQC, which includes expanding partnerships, advancing quantum research and education, and strengthening the ecosystem for quantum innovation.  

Since DQC began, much has changed within the center. How would you assess the progress you all have made in the last five years?

The last five years can be summed up in one word: growth.

We began with an emphasis on full-stack quantum computers that serve as a community resource and enable co-design of complex quantum machines with important applications.

We have grown from five to 15 faculty members across the departments of ECE, physics, chemistry, mathematics, computer science, and science and society. We have expanded beyond ion trap quantum computers to include neutral atom quantum simulators and processors.

Our theoretical team has grown to cover not only quantum error correction and information but the mathematical foundations of simulation and the application of quantum information to high-energy physics.

We have continued to grow our experimental capabilities through a renewal of the National Science Foundation Software-Tailored Architectures for Quantum co-design project (STAQ) and been given the opportunity to design a Quantum Advantage Class Trapped Ions (QACTI) system through the NSF National Quantum Virtual Laboratory program. Our experimental capabilities and theoretical developments are also playing an important role in two National Quantum Initiative Centers: the Department of Energy Quantum System Accelerator and the Institute for Robust Quantum Simulation.

What is your vision for DQC over the next two years?

I am focused on increasing partnerships with DQC. Of course, we already have a very strong relationship with ECE and physics at Duke. We are currently developing stronger relationships with the Rhodes Information Initiative and Deep Tech at Duke. Quantum information is inherently interdisciplinary with large potential societal impacts, and Duke is a great place to take a broad view of quantum technologies.

Beyond Duke, we already have the Triangle Quantum Computing Seminar Series with NC State and UNC-Chapel Hill, and I would like to continue raising the profile of the Research Triangle area as a great place to innovate in quantum technologies. We also have research partnerships with NC Central University and NC A&T. It would be great to develop a quantum start-up ecosystem that interacts with the talent growing at universities across the state.

How does DQC fit into the current state of the quantum field, and what is it doing to push the field forward both scientifically and socially?

DQC continues to have the most advanced academic ion trap quantum computing systems. This has served as a testbed for the community to try different ideas for quantum algorithms from chemistry to machine learning. We are pushing the theory of quantum information forward, and we supported the worldwide theory community through hosting the Quantum Information Processing Conference with NC State in 2025.

How is DQC contributing to the education and workforce development needed for sustaining quantum progress?

Quantum information and technologies remain a fairly specialized field. There is currently a demand for students educated in this area, and we are helping to satisfy this demand. We have a study track in quantum software and hardware in the ECE master’s program, and we are developing a quantum concentration for the physics undergraduate curriculum.

DQC has also supported a student-led house course on quantum information that has been a great stepping stone for undergraduates. Beyond the formal set of courses, DQC trains a number of undergraduate and graduate students, as well as postdoctoral fellows.

At the American Physical Society Global Summit, I met up with undergraduate alumni, who are now graduate students at Caltech and the University of Washington or researchers in industry and national labs, and graduate alumni who are now faculty members or working at industry leaders like IonQ, Quantinuum, Amazon Web Services, Google and IBM. In the first five years, DQC has had a substantial impact on the quantum workforce in the United States, and the impact is only growing.

What excites you most about taking on this role as DQC director?

DQC has an amazing set of researchers that are pushing the frontiers of science and engineering together. As director, I am most excited to continue supporting our culture of collaboration and exploration.