OSU physicist earns prestigious NSF CAREER award for quantum research

Tuesday, September 15, 2026

Media Contact: Jet Turner | Associate Director of Marketing and Communications | 405-744-9559 | jet.b.turner@okstate.edu

Dr. Thomas Bilitewski, assistant professor in the Oklahoma State University Department of Physics, has received the National Science Foundation's prestigious Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award to advance novel ways of controlling the quantum world.

A theoretical physicist, Bilitewski will explore new ways to generate, harness and use quantum entanglement, a phenomenon where particles become deeply linked in a shared state. His research lays the groundwork for quantum-enhanced technologies, enabling our measurement sensors and computers to outperform anything classical technology can do.

“At its core, this project asks: Can we engineer the non-equilibrium dynamics of quantum systems to unlock a real advantage over classical systems?” Bilitewski said.

In other words, the project seeks to better understand and control the behavior of quantum particles, helping discover and create more robust, scalable quantum technology that could measure, sense, communicate and compute far better than our current systems.

Quantum science is currently in a “unique sweet spot,” Bilitewski said, sitting at the intersection of surging technological and commercial interest and vast, uncharted, fundamental physics.

“To me, this research feels a lot like building with quantum Legos. We can custom design particle interactions, arrange them in novel geometries and assemble states of matter that have never existed to solve real-world challenges,” Bilitewski said.

Beyond advancing fundamental science, Bilitewski is also focusing on the next generation of physicists.

Each NSF CAREER grant requires connecting the research to educational and societal goals demonstrated via scientific leadership, education or community outreach. For three years. Bilitewski has led a statewide high school journal club, giving Oklahoma students and educators direct access to cutting-edge research and practicing scientists.

With the new award, Bilitewski can expand this outreach by launching a Quantum Information Science Masterclass Program at OSU. The program will bring high school students and teachers to campus for interactive lab tours and hands-on quantum simulations at no cost to the participants. This ensures that Oklahomans have a front-row seat to the future of physics.

“Any discovery we make may have impacts even beyond universities, enabling the technologies that society relies on tomorrow,” Bilitewski said. “It’s an incredibly exciting field to be in because we’re not just exploring new physics but also opening doors for students across Oklahoma to help lead the quantum revolution.”