Summary Points
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Recognition and Award: MIT physicist Wolfgang Ketterle has been awarded the 2023 Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellowship, one of 10 recipients selected by the U.S. Department of Defense, with funding of up to $3 million over five years.
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Research Focus: Ketterle’s research will explore quantum science using dysprosium atoms, enabling studies of strong magnetic interactions at a 50-nanometer scale to potentially build a purely magnetic quantum gate.
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Fellowship Purpose: The Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellowship aims to foster transformative fundamental research and support high-risk, innovative ideas that could lead to groundbreaking discoveries in various scientific fields.
- Historical Significance: Named after Vannevar Bush, a pivotal figure in U.S. science and technology, the fellowship honors his legacy and supports ongoing advancements in the DoD’s research capabilities.
MIT professor Wolfgang Ketterle has earned a coveted honor. He was named one of 10 recipients of the 2023 Class of Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellowships. This recognition comes from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). Ketterle will receive up to $3 million over five years to support his innovative research into quantum science.
Ketterle plans to focus on ultracold atoms at a 50-nanometer scale. He embraces this opportunity to explore new scientific avenues. “With the Vannevar Bush faculty fellowship’s generous and flexible funding, I can explore a new direction of research,” Ketterle states. His work involves using a super-resolution technique to position dysprosium atoms close together. These atoms, the most magnetic in the periodic table, will interact strongly in this arrangement, leading to groundbreaking studies. Ketterle aims to develop a purely magnetic quantum gate from these interactions.
The Vannevar Bush fellowship stands as the department’s foremost single-investigator award for basic research. It honors the legacy of Vannevar Bush, a pivotal figure in U.S. science and technology. Bush, a former MIT vice president and dean of engineering, played a significant role in advancing military and economic capabilities through scientific innovation.
This fellowship seeks to promote transformative research across universities. It nurtures high-risk ideas that can lead to significant breakthroughs. Thus, it grants researchers the freedom to explore knowledge frontiers in their respective fields.
Ketterle joins a distinguished group of fellows. The 2023 Class of Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellows will collaborate with about 50 current fellows. Their research spans materials science, cognitive neuroscience, quantum information sciences, and applied mathematics. Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Heidi Shyu welcomes these scholars. She emphasizes their potential to influence the future of science and technology.
The fellowship, formerly known as the National Security Science and Engineering Faculty Fellowship, fosters vital research projects. The Basic Research Office within the DoD oversees the grants, while the Office of Naval Research manages them. For the 2023 competition, the Basic Research Office received 190 white papers and ultimately selected 10 fellows for their innovative proposals.
Ketterle’s groundbreaking work could reshape our understanding of quantum mechanics. By enhancing atomic interactions at tiny scales, he sets the stage for future technological advancements. This fellowship not only empowers Ketterle’s research but also strengthens the United States’ position in the global scientific landscape.
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