January 31, 2024

Duckworth Highlights Illinois’s Leadership in Research & Innovation with IBM Leadership

 

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today highlighted Illinois’s strength as a leader in research and technology with IBM Senior Vice President and Director of Research Dr. Darío Gil. Duckworth discussed Illinois’s leadership in quantum investments, including The Bloch, one of the state’s two programs recently designated by the U.S. Economic Development Administration as a Tech Hub, as well as the state’s leading Universities and National Laboratories, which contribute to its ability to remain at the forefront of research and innovation for generations to come. A photo from today’s meeting is available on the Senator’s website.

“Illinois is a leader in our country’s quantum revolution, and our state is making it clear that we are ready to compete and have the projects and innovation right here to bring our state, nation and world into the future,” Duckworth said. “I had a productive meeting with Dr. Gil today, and I’ll keep doing everything I can to promote Illinois on a national and international level.”

Duckworth has been a strong advocate for bringing quantum investments into Illinois. Duckworth, along with U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker championed The Bloch, along with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s Illinois Fermentation and Agriculture Biomanufacturing program, as Illinois’s two Tech Hub designees. These designees are now eligible to apply for between $40-$75 million in CHIPS and Science Act funding to help Illinois remain at the cutting edge of technological innovation.

Led by the Chicago Quantum Exchange, The Bloch will work to accelerate the regional adoption of quantum information science and technology (QIST) by building a framework that can then be used across a variety of industries. The Bloch has the potential to generate an estimated $8.7 billion in annual economic output and create up to 8,000 high paying jobs by 2035. The State of Illinois has pledged their commitment as a consortium member of this application and has already committed $200 million to build research infrastructure in Illinois.

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