Schaibley is the first faculty fellow to unite quantum research at the University of Arizona.
John Schaibley
John Schaibley is the first Faculty Fellow for Quantum appointed by the Office of Research and Partnerships at the University of Arizona (U of A). Schaibley is an associate professor of physics. To direct the university’s growing efforts in quantum science and technology, this new role was created. In addition, Schaibley is a Fellow at the University of Arizona’s Center for Semiconductor Manufacturing and an associate professor in the Wyant College of Optical Sciences.
John Schaibley will provide research senior vice president Tomás Díaz de la Rubia with advice for the next three years. His primary goal is to grow, fortify, and structure the U of A’s ecosystem for quantum research.
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According to Díaz de la Rubia, the strength of the U of A is found in the industry partnerships the university is establishing and the knowledge of researchers across fields. Díaz de la Rubia said, “By combining our quantum efforts, we can establish Arizona as a national leader in a technology sector that will influence the future — facilitating innovations in fields like semiconductor manufacturing, secure communications, and artificial intelligence.”
Schaibley’s main objective as a faculty fellow is to gather scholars from all around the U of A campus in order to create a centralized, cohesive quantum endeavor. In order to further quantum research, he intends to establish a leadership system that encourages collaborative creativity across colleges.
John Schaibley stated, “This is about how we strategically hire and develop quantum at the University of Arizona in a way that will make us excel in a unique way.”
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A strategic planning process will be initiated and a series of campus seminars will be led by him starting in January 2026. To create a long-term vision for the university’s efforts in the subject, faculty members participating in any quantum-related topic will be asked to exchange ideas and spot opportunities. In order to “develop a quantum strategy that reflects the U of A’s distinct strengths and is in line with national and international priorities,” John Schaibley aims to “identify a central group of researchers.”
Because of its current strengths in advanced materials, acoustics, optics, and space research, the U of A is especially well-positioned to investigate new quantum frontiers. The New Frontiers of Sound (NewFoS) NSF Center, which employs cutting-edge acoustic technologies that replicate quantum phenomena, and the recently refurbished Nano Fabrication Center, which is sponsored by the ACA and can fabricate cutting-edge quantum devices, support these capabilities.
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The national focus on quantum technology, artificial intelligence, semiconductor manufacturing, and fusion energy makes now “the perfect time” to advance the university’s quantum endeavors, John Schaibley emphasized. Additionally, he cited the National Quantum Initiative Act, which was passed into law in 2018, as the catalyst for substantial investment and the growth of quantum startup businesses, which offer chances for cooperation and research. Schaibley encourages partnerships to create next-generation quantum devices and investigate space-based quantum systems because he sees promise for applications, particularly in space and quantum photonics.
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In addition to his fellowship responsibilities, John Schaibley is working on his own quantum research after being awarded the $1.3 million, five-year Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation Experimental Physics Investigator Award. This cash will be used to further develop synthetic quantum materials and engineer new quantum states in 2-D semiconductor devices in Schaibley’s lab.
In order to manipulate the motion and interaction of electrons, these artificial quantum materials are nanoscale crystals that have the potential to yield new, basic insights into condensed matter physics, including superconductivity and magnetism. Future uses of this technology could lead to faster and more energy-efficient computers, which would lower the energy footprint of huge data centers. It could also be used for data security and AI/ML applications.
By the end of his tenure, John Schaibley hopes to have achieved ambitious goals: “By the end of my three-year fellowship, I want to have increased the activity of quantum research on campus by bringing together the current population, recruiting new academics, obtaining cooperative research funds for the entire university, and collaborating with companies to bring new quantum technology to market.”
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