January 27, 2026

This newsletter offers news and opportunities in quantum education and workforce development. If you would also like to subscribe to the QCORE main newsletter, you can do so here.

Montana State University's QCORE receives $31.5M for expanded research, testbed expansion

QCORE, Montana State University’s Quantum Collaborative Research and Education facility, has been awarded a $31.5 million contract with the Air Force Research Laboratory in Rome, New York, for novel research in quantum applications and the development of novel quantum materials, sensors, devices and network systems.

Workforce development and education programs will include a Quantum Summer Academy for teachers; expansion of the QuantumGirls/QuantumKids program; attendance at high school career fairs across Montana; new courses and opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students at MSU; and development of technical training programs for professionals.

Read the full article from MSU News.

Quantum education intern Rebekah Yager selected as one of MSU's top 40 seniors

Forty of Montana State University’s top seniors and their faculty and staff mentors will be recognized Feb. 16, at the annual Founders Day Awards for Student Excellence event held on the MSU campus.

Among the honorees is Rebekah Yager, who has served as a quantum education and workforce development intern, working on behalf of QCORE in the Science Math Resource Center at MSU.

Honored students are nominated by faculty in their respective colleges or departments. Qualified nominees must have at least a 3.0 GPA and demonstrated campus leadership and community service. Rebekah is pictured in the dark blue shirt at the QCORE grand opening last August.

Montana State physics professor Yves Idzerda to give Feb. 17 provost’s lecture on second quantum revolution

Montana State University physics professor Yves Idzerda, pictured with two quantum computers in MSU's QCORE facility, will speak about "Quantum Materials and What Comes Next" on Feb. 17, 2026, as part of the MSU Provost's Distinguished Lecturer Series. His talk will begin at 7 p.m. in Hager Auditorium at the Museum of the Rockies. The free event will be followed by a reception at 8 p.m. Read the full article from MSU News .

Quantum Resources and News

Quanta magazine staff share some of their favorite books, including Why Quark Rhymes With Pork by N. David Mermin, a collection of Physics Today columns, including one that includes the phrase ‘Shut up and calculate,’ which is now a famous way of describing a philosophy of quantum mechanics. Read the article here.

Bozeman Chronicle: Daines leads $5.2B quantum computing funding redux

Sen. Steve Daines is leading the brigade to recharge research and development funding for quantum computing, an advanced methodology utilizing simultaneous calculation to solve complex problems with exponential speed. Read the Jan. 8, 2026 Bozeman Daily Chronicle article.

These Quantum education and workforce development programs are led by the MSU Science Math Resource Center as part of Montana State University's QCORE.