Bridgewater State University Awarded $380,000 MassTech Grant to Expand Undergraduate Quantum Labs

Bridgewater State University (BSU) has received approximately $380,000 from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MassTech) to advance undergraduate quantum technology education, hands-on laboratory training, and workforce development. Awarded through the MassTech Technology and Innovation Ecosystem program, the grant funds the procurement of three commercial-grade quantum systems across computing, sensing, and cybersecurity.

Hardware Procurement and Interdisciplinary Curriculum

Led by Physics Professor Ed Deveney (who established BSU's Lab for Quantum Studies in 1999), the investment brings specialized equipment to campus to provide undergraduate students with direct hardware experience:

• Procured Systems: The grant supports the acquisition of a desktop one-qubit optical quantum computer, a Nitrogen-Vacancy (NV) center diamond quantum sensing setup paired with a two-qubit system, and commercial Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) and Quantum Random Number Generator (QRNG) units.

• Cybersecurity Integration: The QKD/QRNG hardware will integrate into BSU’s existing Cyber Security Range, allowing students in computer science, cybersecurity, and physics to study post-quantum cryptography, quantum threat vectors, and secure key exchanges.

• Workforce Pipeline: The program connects BSU’s degree offerings—including Massachusetts' first undergraduate Bachelor of Science program in Photonics and Optical Engineering—directly to the regional deep-tech industry along the Massachusetts technology corridor.

The equipment has been ordered and will be integrated into academic coursework, lab instruction, and undergraduate research projects as it arrives on campus.

Inspect hardware specifications via Bridgewater State University Laboratory Equipment here.

August 27, 2026