Call for Project Proposals: Access the IonQ Aria Quantum System

The Bloch Quantum Tech Hub, recognized by the US Economic Development Administration as a key driver in advancing US leadership in quantum technologies - through the Chicago Quantum Exchange, qBraid, and IonQ - is excited to offer a unique opportunity for no-cost access to the IonQ Aria quantum system. This opportunity is available through December 2024 via the qBraid platform and aims to support projects that align with the following criteria:

Alignment with Vision: The project should support The Bloch’s mission to rally sectors around solving urgent societal challenges such as, though not limited to, combating financial fraud, securing the energy grid, and accelerating the development of life-saving drugs.

Commercial Impact: The project should demonstrate clear commercial potential, such as piloting use-cases that encourage adoption across industry sectors.

Applied Research Significance: The project should aim to develop or refine quantum algorithms that are optimized for IonQ’s Aria system, a trapped-ion quantum computer. Examples of relevant quantum algorithms include Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm (QAOA) for solving combinatorial problems, Variational Quantum Eigensolver (VQE) for molecular modeling in materials science and pharmaceuticals, and quantum machine learning algorithms that enhance pattern recognition and prediction capabilities.

Regional Benefit: The project should offer tangible benefits to the Chicago Metropolitan Area or the broader Chicago Quantum Exchange region.

Timely Completion: The project must be completed by December 2024.

We plan to grant access to 1-3 projects, providing a total of approximately 50 hours on the IonQ system.

Submission Details: Proposals can be submitted on a rolling basis. Successful applicants will be required to sign an IonQ general access agreement and will receive detailed instructions on how to proceed with accessing the system.

The Bloch leverages a coalition of Fortune 500 companies, quantum startups, leading universities, government bodies, and nonprofits, channeling over $625M in public and private investments as a catalyst for innovation and job creation in the quantum sector.

For further inquiries, please contact us at quantum@uchicago.edu.

Name*

First NameLast Name

Title*

Ex. Senior Scientist

Institution/Company*

Email Address*

example@example.com

Project Collaborators:*

Please list the names and institutions of your collaborators on this project

Project Title:*

Briefly describe your project (300 – 400 words), alignment with The Bloch, and desired outcomes:*

Briefly explain the potential commercial significance of your project:*

Briefly explain the applied research significance of your project:*

Describe how the project benefits the Chicago Metropolitan Area and/or the broader CQE region:*

Briefly describe the technical components of your project. Please include the intended software framework (ex: Qiskit), error mitigation strategies, and other considerations, if applicable:*

What is the estimated amount of time needed to run your project on the Aria quantum system? A range will be acceptable: *

For a comparison of Aria with existing IonQ devices please see here. For more details please refer to the link.

Will you require GPUs for your project? If so, please describe the expected usage in terms of number of GPUs, kind of GPUs (NVIDIA H100s, A100s, etc.), and their purpose in the project:*

Tell us about any relevant experience you and your team have with quantum computers to ensure you will be able to utilize the time prior to December 2024:*

Share anything else that will enable better assessment of the project:

Call for Project Proposals: Access the IonQ Aria Quantum System

Project Overview