§8842 Multidisciplinary centers for quantum research and education

Summary

The National Science Foundation director must give grants to colleges, eligible nonprofits, or consortia to create between 2 and 5 Multidisciplinary Centers for Quantum Research and Education. These centers can include partnerships with private companies. Their job is to do basic quantum research and teach people skills that support the federal quantum goals in section 8813(d)(2), including advancing quantum information science and engineering, building curriculum and workforce training, and bringing industry ideas and resources into research and training. Groups that want funding must apply to the NSF when asked and include plans showing how they will work with other schools, industry, and researchers across fields like physics, engineering, math, computer science, chemistry, and materials science; how they will train workers; how they will help turn research into real products; and how they will try to keep running after grant funding ends. Each center gets funding for 5 years and can reapply for more 5-year terms through a competitive review. The NSF can close a center that is not performing. The director may provide up to $10,000,000 per center for each fiscal year 2019 through 2023, only if Congress provides the money from NSF funds.