Powering the Quantum Future in Albuquerque

Quantum is Closer Than You Think

While most organizations are still trying to make sense of artificial intelligence, another wave is already forming—quieter, more complex, and potentially far more transformative.

Quantum computing.

Not faster computers. Not better tools. A fundamentally different way of solving problems—problems we’ve never been able to solve.

Quantum computing has long lived in the realm of “someday.” While classical computers are powered by bits— ones and zeros that process information in a linear way —quantum computers are powered by quantum bits (“qubits”) that can exist in multiple states at once, unlocking the ability to solve problems once thought unsolvable.

Imagine discovering life-saving drugs in weeks instead of years. Designing new materials that capture carbon more efficiently. Building cybersecurity systems that are fundamentally unbreakable. Or solving complex optimization problems—like supply chains or financial modeling—that today’s computers simply can’t handle.

That “someday” is starting to take shape.

And when it arrives, it won’t just make things better; it will make entirely new things possible.

This isn’t theoretical anymore. It’s the promise of quantum.

And it’s not happening in isolation.

The Future Is Taking Shape in Albuquerque

A powerful ecosystem is forming around the Elevate Quantum Tech Hub—a coalition spanning Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming, focused on accelerating quantum commercialization and building a globally competitive workforce.

But what’s happening in Albuquerque goes beyond a single initiative.

It’s the convergence of research, industry, workforce development, and public investment—all in one place, all moving in the same direction.

At the foundation are two of the nation’s premier research institutions: Sandia National Laboratories and Los Alamos National Laboratory. Together, they bring decades of leadership in quantum physics, advanced computing, materials science, and national security. They don’t just produce breakthroughs—they anchor the ecosystem, attract partners, and help translate discovery into real-world application.

Layered on top are companies like Quantinuum, advancing quantum technologies across chemistry, AI, finance, and cybersecurity—and choosing to grow in Albuquerque. That decision matters. It signals to the market that this region is becoming a center of gravity for what comes next.

At the same time, startups like Qunnect are emerging in areas like quantum networking—critical infrastructure for connecting future quantum systems. These companies aren’t just innovating; they’re embedding themselves in the region, collaborating across sectors, and accelerating momentum.

And then there’s the piece many regions struggle to get right: Talent.

Institutions like Central New Mexico Community College and the University of New Mexico are stepping into that gap—each playing a distinct but complementary role. CNM’s first-of-its-kind, 10-week Quantum Technician Bootcamp is reimagining who gets to participate in the quantum economy by removing traditional barriers and creating fast, applied pathways into the field, while UNM is advancing research, talent development, and deeper academic pathways that help anchor and sustain the broader ecosystem.

This is how ecosystems scale—not just through breakthrough science, but through intentional pathways into and through the workforce.

What’s emerging is not a loose collection of activity, it’s a coordinated system:

• Research institutions generating discovery
• Companies translating discovery into application
• Startups pushing the edges of what’s possible
• Colleges and universities building the workforce to sustain it

These elements are increasingly interconnected, not siloed.

This isn’t just innovation. It’s an ecosystem that’s changing what’s possible and accelerating how fast the future arrives.

A New Kind of Workforce—Starting Now

Here’s where higher education comes in.

The quantum future won’t be built by PhDs alone.

It will require a full spectrum of talent—from advanced researchers to technicians, engineers, and skilled tradespeople.

That’s why Central New Mexico Community College (CNM) is playing such a critical role.

Through its Quantum Learning Lab (QuLL), CNM has launched a 10-week Quantum Technician Bootcamp—designed with no math or science prerequisites. This model challenges the self-defeating assumption that fields like quantum are only for those with strong math or science backgrounds.

Just as important: CNM isn’t waiting for demand. They’re building capacity ahead of it.

The program is designed to serve adjacent industries today—electronics, fusion energy, advanced manufacturing—while preparing learners for the quantum jobs of tomorrow.

And it’s working.

The presence of a trained—and trainable—workforce is one of the reasons quantum companies are choosing to invest in the region.

In other words: Workforce development isn’t following innovation. It’s shaping it.

Earlier this year, the Alliance for Innovation and Transformation (AFIT) community traveled to Albuquerque to experience this ecosystem firsthand.

We stepped inside CNM’s Quantum Learning Lab, visited Sandia’s Center for Integrated Nanotechnology, explored Qunnect’s new location, and connected virtually with Quantinuum—engaging with leaders across the quantum landscape.

Together, we began to grapple with a question that feels both urgent and expansive:

What is our role in preparing for a future we can’t fully see yet?

No one left with a fully formed answer, but many left with a shift in perspective.

Some leaders are exploring how their institutions might contribute to the quantum workforce pipeline. Others are thinking more broadly about how to build programs that are adaptable—designed not just for today’s jobs, but for emerging ones.

Because that may be the real lesson of quantum: not just what it makes possible, but how it calls us to build for a future we can’t fully see yet.

Exponential Opportunity

Quantum computing will change what’s possible.

But for higher education, the deeper opportunity is this: Can we become the kind of institutions that are ready before the future arrives?

The colleges that thrive in the quantum era won’t be the ones that perfectly predict what’s next. They’ll be the ones that build systems—curriculum, partnerships, and mindsets—that can evolve as fast as the world around them.

Quantum is coming.

Will we be ready to meet it?

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🙏 Special thanks to Tracy Hartzler, Brian Rashap and the Central New Mexico Community College team, Jake Douglass and the Sandia National Labs team, Kortny Rolston-Duce, Zachary Vernon and the Quantinuum team, and Noel Goddard, Jason Kello, and the Qunnect team for showing me the way.

✨ This essay was researched and written by me, with editing support from AI.

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About Erika Liodice

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