Lessons from the second phase of the Emergent Phenomena in Quantum Systems Initiative

Launched in 2013 and renewed in 2018, the first two phases of Emergent Phenomena in Quantum Systems Initiative supported an integrated research program in quantum materials that included materials synthesis, experiment and theory. The research funded crossed the boundaries among physics, chemistry and materials science.  

An external independent evaluation of the initiative’s second phase was conducted by RTI International in 2024. The evaluation assessed whether the initiative strategies pursued were implemented effectively and whether they achieved the desired outcomes. In addition to leveraging bibliometric indicators and reports from grantees, the evaluation integrated the findings of a panel of scientific experts who assessed the scientific impact of the initiative’s second phase and identified future opportunities in the field of quantum materials. 

The assessments confirmed that the initiative accelerated progress in the field and propelling it into a state in which new, deeper questions could be asked about organizing principles of complex quantum matter and the materials can be interrogated in superior new ways.  

The evaluators at RTI concluded that the investments from the initiative “made a significant and distinctive contribution to advances in the critical field of quantum materials.” The evaluators went on to acknowledge that this type of investment in fundamental research “provides a foundation for future technology development. Research of this type provides ideas and insights that are needed to enable innovation in future decades.”