Newsletters

The Department of Defense awarded UMD the largest research contract in the institution’s history to support the Applied Research Laboratory for Intelligence and Security (ARLIS). Established in 2018 to combat complex national security problems by utilizing a multidisciplinary approach,“ARLIS bridges social and technical sciences to address pressing national security needs in the areas of cognitive security, supply chains, technology engagement and insider risk”. Read more in Maryland Today.

The Discovery District is the proud home of the National Quantum Laboratory (QLab), a first-of-its kind quantum research center, launched through a strategic university-industry partnership between UMD and IonQ. The QLab will empower researchers, innovators, and experts from many disciplines to come together to leverage one of the most powerful quantum computers in the world to solve some of the most challenging problems of our time.

A grand opening ribbon-cutting ceremony took place on September 19th at IonQ where Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin, IonQ CEO and President Peter Chapman, UMD President Darryll Pines, Maryland Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller, and Alex Khan, CEO and co-founder of ZebraKet, celebrated the QLab's opening. Read more about the new QLab in Maryland Today.

According to the National Science Foundation's Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) survey, widely recognized as the preeminent national ranking for universities engaged in sponsored research, which was released on December 15th, the University of Maryland ranked 10th among all public institutions and 17th overall nationally in research and development spending in fiscal year 2021.

The University of Maryland, College Park and the University of Maryland, Baltimore are linked as one research enterprise in the survey and reported combined research expenditures of $1.14 billion, an increase of about $39 million from the previous year. Read more about the UMD’s commitment to research excellence in Maryland Today.

On November 3rd, members of the university, local community, elected officials, and economic development stakeholders gathered at a parking lot near the College Park Airport and adjacent to the Junior Tennis Champions Center (JTTC) to celebrate the announcement of Aviation Landing, a transformational development anticipated to break ground in the next two years. The project will include more than 900 residential units, open space, retail and commercial research and innovation space. The first phase is slated for completion in four years. Read more about this future addition to the Discovery District in Maryland Today, The Diamondback, Patch, and WTOP.

With the opening of the National Quantum Lab at Maryland (Q-Lab), this new user facility which is a partnership between the University of Maryland and IonQ, further expands UMD’s footprint as the ‘Capital of Quantum.’ Franz Klein, who serves as a high-performance computing engineer in UMD’s Division of Information Technology has also been appointed to lead the Q-Lab.

Last month, the Washington Business Journal published a profile on Greater College Park titled “The District of Discovery.” This special edition insert highlights many of the recently completed and underway projects in the research park, as well as spotlights Discovery District members IonQ, Medcura, The Shed, Visisonics, The Hall CP and The Hotel at the University of Maryland. A feature on climate, defense and food science within the insert covers ARLIS, FDA, ESSIC, and the Joint Global Change Institute. Several exciting updates on area infrastructure projects are prominently covered throughout the publication, as well. 

Over the last several weeks, the University of Maryland has announced several appointments of key leadership positions working in the fields of innovation and entrepreneurship. Dr. Gregory F. Ball has been appointed to serve as the Vice President of Research, leading the $1.3B research enterprise of the University of Maryland, College Park and University of Maryland, Baltimore campuses. Prior to this appointment, Dr. Ball served as Dean for UMD’s College of Behavioral and Social Sciences. The VPR position was previously held by Dr. Laurie Locascio, who stepped down in 2021 after being nominated by President Biden to serve as Under Secretary for Standards and Technology in the Department of Commerce.

There are only fourteen University-Affiliated Research Centers (UARC) in the country, and the Applied Research Lab for Intelligence and Security (ARLIS), based in the Discovery District, is one of them. This UARC is focused on “integrating social and behavioral sciences, AI, and computing for new Human Domain applied research and development capabilities.”

During the December 2nd ribbon-cutting ceremony, University of Maryland President Darryll J. Pines remarked of ARLIS that “we are tremendously proud of this collaboration with the Department of Defense and grateful for opportunities it awards our faculty and students to help address national security threats and shape the intelligence and security workforce of the future.” Read more about ARLIS and the recent ribbon cutting ceremony.

Last month, the University of Maryland and IonQ announced a partnership to create the National Quantum Lab (Q-Lab), which will be based in the Discovery District. The Q-Lab will be the nation's first user facility that enables the scientific community to pursue world-leading research through hands-on access to a commercial-grade quantum computer. UMD-affiliated students, faculty, researchers, staff and partners across the country will have an unprecedented opportunity to gain experience with IonQ's industry-leading trapped-ion quantum computer hardware and collaborate with IonQ scientists and engineers.

President Joe Biden recently nominated Laurie Locascio, who serves as the Vice President for Research and as a professor within the Fischell Department of Bioengineering, as Under Secretary for Standards and Technology in the U.S. Department of Commerce. Locascio, if confirmed by the Senate, would lead the National Institute of Standards and Technology, a federal lab employing 3,400 scientists, engineers, and support staff.