(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Plans for the nation's first Quantum Computing technology park are moving forward quickly. Local leaders say it could eventually benefit the region, the South Shore neighborhood and you.
The Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park will be constructed on part of the old US Steel South Works site. University of Illinois Professor Harley Johnson, the Director of the Park, says PsyQuantum, an anchor partner, will use a powerful supercomputer to tackle challenges, like developing medicines that use genetics to help individuals.
He says it would take a lot of computing power to come up with the chemical compositions and such that could do the job.
“Another example is in fraud detection for the financial industry. Again, you're searching through huge amounts of data, looking for patterns that are unusual. This is something that could help everyone. It could help, you know the lenders and banks, but it could help consumers,” Johnson said.
Quantum industry officials say the technology could also optimize transportation systems and improve flight safety through better navigation.
The planned Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park will be a first of its kind project located in South Shore. PsyQuantum was the first company to sign on to build a ''super computer.'' IBM is the second.
Tenth Ward Alderman Peter Chico says this is a positive sign, one of the first big ones since the US Steel closed its South Works operation.
“The possibilities that lie here are endless and we could start with obviously the amount of people that will be employed, the attention will bring to the Southeast side, the seventh and 10th ward, but more importantly, the pipeline we're gonna create from our schools to the campus.”
Kate Timmerman, who heads the Chicago Quantum Exchange, says this region could have some 190,000 Quantum-Related jobs and see $80 million in economic impact by 2035. They hope for completion in 2026.
WBBM looks at plans for a Quantum Computing campus in South Chicago on our At Issue program this weekend and you can hear more Sunday at 9:30 p.m.
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