Penn FoQuS 2026 Advances Quantum Connections

The third annual Penn Forum on Quantum Systems (Penn FoQuS 2026), hosted by Penn Engineering’s Center for Quantum Information, Engineering, Science and Technology (QUIEST), drew nearly 200 researchers, students and industry leaders to the Singh Center for Nanotechnology on April 20, 2026, marking the event’s largest and most institutionally diverse turnout to date.

Building on the momentum of previous years, the program continues to emphasize both technical innovation and cross-sector collaboration, reinforcing FoQuS’s role as a hub for interdisciplinary exchange.

A panel discussion during FoQuS 2026 included Eric Stach, Robert D. Bent Professor of Engineering in Materials Science and Engineering (left), Josh Gladden, Vice President of Research and Professor of Physics at Temple University, and Peter Maurer, Associate Professor of Molecular Engineering at the University of Chicago.

Expanding Collaboration Across Institutions

A defining feature of FoQuS 2026 was its expanded institutional reach. Participants represented over 20 leading universities including Carnegie Mellon, Columbia, Drexel, Johns Hopkins, MIT, Princeton, Rutgers, Temple, University of Delaware and University of Maryland, Baltimore County, alongside industry and government organizations such as Nasdaq, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and Lockheed Martin.

“FoQuS 2026 made clear that the real impact of this symposium extends beyond a single day,” says Lee Bassett, Associate Professor in Electrical and Systems Engineering and Director of QUIEST. “We’re already seeing new collaborations take shape, from joint efforts with Drexel, Temple and University of Delaware to broader engagement with statewide quantum initiatives, and that momentum is exactly what this community is built to sustain.”

The event was co-organized in collaboration with Maria Iavarone, Professor and Chair of Physics at Temple, and Steven May, Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at Drexel, strengthening ties across the regional quantum ecosystem.

“This was a great event, and I truly enjoyed it,” says Iavarone. “The engagement of the students and postdocs during the poster session, as well as the panel discussion, was excellent.”

These partnerships contributed to the event’s highest level of external participation to date, while enabling new connections across institutions and disciplines.

Lee Bassett gave the opening remarks for the FoQuS 2026 Symposium in the Singh Center for Nanotechnology on April 20, 2026.

Connecting Academia, Industry and Emerging Applications

FoQuS 2026 also reinforced connections between academia and industry, with participation from organizations ranging from startups to established companies and national labs.

Keynote and invited speakers, including Peter Maurer, Associate Professor of Molecular Engineering at the University of Chicago, and Margaret Martonosi, the William M. Addy ’82 University Professor in Computer Science at Princeton, framed discussions around the future of quantum technologies, while panels and informal discussions explored pathways to scaling and application.

Margaret Martonosi gives her keynote talk: “Mind the Gap: Challenges and Opportunities in Closing the Algorithms-to-Devices Gap in Quantum Computing.”

Student-Driven Research Takes Center Stage

FoQuS 2026 placed a special emphasis on student research, with 28 undergraduate and graduate students presenting in a new lightning talk session and expanded poster session.

“One of our main goals was to elevate student and postdoc research, and FoQuS 2026 delivered on that in a big way,” says Marian Bechtel-Prabakaran, Program Coordinator for QUIEST. “The level of participation and the enthusiasm around the poster and lightning sessions made it clear how vital these early-career researchers are to the future of quantum science.”

These sessions highlighted work across quantum information science, the study of how to use the laws of quantum physics on matter and energy at the smallest scales to store, process and transmit information in entirely new ways. Research on quantum physics in this symposium could transform fields ranging from computing and cybersecurity to medicine and materials design, unlocking faster problem solving, more secure communication and new technologies that are not possible today.

Ph.D. student Jordan Gusdorff presents in the lightning talk session that included other graduate students and postdocs from Penn and numerous external institutions.

Ph.D. student Joseph Minnella (right) demonstrates experimental hardware for use in quantum computing educational outreach and laboratory courses.

The poster session continues to connect engaged students across undergraduate and graduate programs as well as postdoctoral fellows to peers and leaders in the quantum science field during FoQuS.

Learn more about FoQuS and QUIEST on their website.