Physics and Math secure $3M NSF grant to train next-gen quantum and AI workforce
Thursday, August 21, 2025
Media Contact: Elizabeth Gosney | CAS Marketing and Communications Manager | 405-744-7497 | egosney@okstate.edu
Professors from Oklahoma State University’s Department of Physics and Department of Mathematics received a $3 million National Science Foundation Research Traineeship award to launch the Accelerating Transdisciplinary Training of an Oklahoma Workforce for the Artificial Intelligence and Quantum Revolution program.
Led by professors Yingmei Liu, Thomas Bilitewski, Julius de Rojas, Joe Haley and Paul Fili, the ATTAQ initiative will deliver innovative graduate training at the intersection of quantum information science and artificial intelligence.
“Being awarded an NRT grant by the NSF is a clear recognition of the excellence in research and education in our departments,” said Dr. Flera Rizatdinova, Department of Physics head.
The NSF’s NRT program is a national investment in developing innovative educational and research models for STEM graduate education that meet the changing needs of the workforce. OSU’s ATTAQ program answers this call by combining high-priority interdisciplinary research in QIS and AI with deep theoretical, laboratory and professional training, as well as fully funded internships with leading companies in those areas.
Building on the world-class expertise of OSU’s physics and mathematics departments, ATTAQ will expand OSU’s leadership regionally and nationally in these disciplines. The program will also advance the university’s land-grant mission of teaching and research excellence, positioning OSU at the forefront of efforts to address the nation’s most pressing technological and societal needs.
“This validates the vision of our departments to cultivate scientists and engineers uniquely equipped to harness the combined power of QIS and AI,” said Liu, physics professor, Noble Foundation Endowed Chair and lead principal investigator on the grant.
Over the next five years, ATTAQ will fund more than 30 graduate students and provide advanced, cross-disciplinary training to over 100 students in physics, computer science, mathematics, materials science and engineering.
“The program’s interdisciplinary approach brings together researchers from multiple fields to address shared scientific and technological challenges,” de Rojas said. “The ATTAQ program is a transformative opportunity for our graduate students. By integrating QIS and AI, we’re building a workforce ready to take on challenges such as quantum computing and communication, trustworthy AI, advanced functional materials and cybersecurity, as well as to explore fundamental scientific questions about the very structure of the universe.
“Graduates will leave with the skills and experience to address the grand societal and scientific challenges emerging from QIS and AI, and to excel in leadership roles in academia, industry and government.”
Physics professor Bilitewski emphasized that professional development is at the heart of the program’s design.
“We are excited to integrate robust professional development, hands-on training and fully funded industry internships directly into the graduate experience,” Bilitewski said. “This is a cornerstone of our NRT model, and it ensures that our students graduate with both field-specific expertise and the practical skills needed to make an immediate impact in any sector. It prepares them not just for careers, but for leadership in fields critical to national security and global innovation.”
To learn more, read the full NSF announcement here and visit the NSF award page here.