At Southern Connecticut State University, quantum science is no longer an abstract concept. It is a visible, practical driver of student opportunity, workforce development, and statewide innovation. And that impact is already being felt far beyond campus. “You’re not working in an ivory t ower, you’re making education real and relevant,” said Governor Ned Lamont. “What you’re doing here is going to make an enormous difference, from speeding up drug discovery to strengthening industries like insurance and biotech.” That momentum came into sharp focus on March 23, when the university formally launched the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities Center for Quantum and Nanotechnology (QNT). The move signaled Southern’s growing role in the newest technological revolution. Southern Connecticut State University officially opened the CSCU Center for Quantum Nanotechnology (QNT) during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on March 23, bringing together state leaders, industry partners, faculty, and students. Credit: Southern Connecticut State University The QNT Center is designed as both a research hub and a workforce engine. Located in Southern’s Academic Science and Laboratory Building, it supports hands-on learning and industry-relevant work in quantum computing, nanomaterials, advanced manufacturing, cybersecurity, healthcare, and energy, fields expected to reshape how industries operate in the coming decades. What distinguishes Southern’s approach is not just the science. It is how the work is made accessible, an emphasis central to Southern’s model. Students are not waiting until graduate school to engage in advanced research. Many begin in their first year, working directly with faculty and applying complex concepts in real-world settings. “The center taught me to see myself as someone who truly belongs in research,” said Maggie Blanchard, a junior double majoring in physics-engineering and applied mathematics. Blanchard’s experience reflects a broader pattern. Students at Southern are gaining hands-on experience in microscopy, spectroscopy, diffraction, computational chemistry, and quantum optimization. Others are exploring how quantum concepts relate to fields like artificial intelligence, materials science, and even astronomy. Southern Connecticut State University officially opened the CSCU Center for Quantum Nanotechnology (QNT) during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on March 23, bringing together state leaders, industry partners, faculty, and students. Credit: Southern Connecticut State University For Crossby Dessalines, a transfer student and research fellow, that exposure proved transformative. “That moment changed my trajectory,” he said, recalling his introduction to quantum research through a statewide competition he later won. Today, Dessalines is helping develop educational modules in quantum computing and encryption to expand access for future students, demonstrating how quickly students can move from learners to contributors. Southern students are also gaining recognition beyond campus. At Quantum UP!, a regional competition that brings together students from institutions including Yale and UConn, Southern students earned awards for projects exploring topics like quantum ethics. Through QuantumCT and partnerships involving Yale, UConn, the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system, and industry leaders, Southern is helping build the talent pipeline Connecticut needs to compete in advanced technologies. “Places like this are essential,” said Dr. Al Green, CEO of QuantumCT. “They create the connection between education, industry, and innovation. They make it possible for people to get involved, to learn, and to contribute, and that’s how ecosystems grow.” “This center began as a statewide hub for nanotechnology, but as the science evolved, so did our vision,” said Dr. Christine Broadbridge, founding director of the center and Southern’s executive director of research and innovation. “Expanding to include quantum reflects a deliberate, forward-looking commitment to preparing our students, and our state, for the next frontier of innovation.” That connection between education and workforce is a defining feature of Southern’s strategy. Through its Office of Workforce and Lifelong Learning, the university is expanding training in artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing for working professionals, while integrating foundational quantum concepts into those programs. Supported by the state’s Tech Talent Accelerator, these efforts reflect growing demand from employers for advanced technology skills and ensure that learning at Southern extends beyond traditional degree pathways. A $398,176 National Science Foundation EPIIC grant is further strengthening that work, supporting academic-industry partnerships and innovation across fields including quantum information science, semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, and new materials. “This experiential learning model moves students beyond theory, embedding industry-inspired skills directly into their education,” said Interim President Sandra Bulmer. “We are preparing our students to lead in emerging technology sectors while helping to build a more resilient and equitable innovation ecosystem.” Southern Connecticut State University Interim President Dr. Sandra Bulmer delivers remarks during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on March 23 for the opening of the CSCU Center for Quantum Nanotechnology (QNT). Credit: Southern Connecticut State University That work is backed by a rapidly expanding research foundation. In 2025, Southern earned the prestigious Carnegie Classification “R2: High Research Activity” designation, becoming the first institution in Connecticut outside of Yale and UConn to be recognized nationally for research. The classification officially positioned Southern among just 139 research universities nationwide and confirmed the university’s growing research infrastructure, expanding doctoral program, and significant rise in faculty scholarly output. For Connecticut, the implications are clear. Quantum innovation will require not only research breakthroughs, but also a workforce prepared to apply them, and institutions willing to make opportunity broad-based rather than exclusive. Southern Connecticut State University officially opened the CSCU Center for Quantum Nanotechnology (QNT) during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on March 23, bringing together state leaders, industry partners, faculty, and students. Credit: Southern Connecticut State University Southern is helping lead that effort, by advancing research, building partnerships, and opening doors. In New Haven, the future of quantum is not theoretical. It is already taking shape. And Southern is ensuring more people can be part of it. ...read more read less