April 2026
April 2026
Quantum Week Launches at Northwestern, Connecting Leaders in Research, Industry, and Policy
Alumni-led quantum companies spotlight opportunities to translate academic research into real-world impact
Northwestern University is launching its inaugural Quantum Week on April 20, a multidisciplinary exploration of quantum science and technology development. Organized by the Institute for Quantum Information Research and Engineering (INQUIRE) in collaboration with central offices and regional partners, the week culminates on Friday with a campus visit by Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, underscoring the growing importance of quantum innovation to the region and the nation.
By bringing academia and industry together to identify new areas of collaborative research, the program features experts from across the quantum information sector—including Northwestern alumni in quantum business leadership roles—alongside faculty driving breakthroughs at the frontiers of the field. Throughout the week, symposia, seminars, and networking events will showcase Northwestern's strengths and create space for cross-sector dialogue and partnership.
A centerpiece of the week will be the Quantum Innovation Symposium, where Northwestern alumni speakers, including Yuping Huang, CEO of Quantum Computing, Inc., will provide remarks on quantum networking and communications innovation, and Johannes Pollanen, Cowen Distinguished Chair in Experimental Physics at Michigan State University, will speak as the chief science officer for EeroQ Quantum on hardware quantum computing with electron spins on helium.
As a central hub for quantum activity across campus, INQUIRE views Quantum Week as a natural extension of its mission to span disciplines and schools and build partnerships that amplify Northwestern's impact on the future of quantum innovation.
In this issue:
Important Policy and Guidance Updates
- Research Security Training: Required for Compliance
- Federal Public Access Requirements: Mandatory and Now Being Enforced
- Research Integrity in the Age of AI
Research Breakthroughs
- Human–AI Teams Boost Deepfake Detection Accuracy
- Northwestern–Fermilab Data Powers New AI Benchmark for Quantum Systems
- Programming Materials That Act Like Living Systems
- Spin Reveals the Difference Between Planets and “Failed Stars”
- Can Nanoscience Build Better Clothes?
- In Case You Missed It: Northwestern Physicist Talks Dark Matter on Fox 32 Chicago
Research News and Activities Across Campus
- DNA Project Aims to Reunite Families Separated by War
- Northwestern Spotlight: A Decade of Engineering Life Itself
- Biomedical Research Awareness at Northwestern
- From Discovery to Impact: Inside the Simpson Q Accelerators
- From Lab to Market: Telling Your Innovation’s Story (Save the date)
- Inspiring the Next Generation Through Nanotechnology
- Evidence Isn't Enough: Public Health Leaders Call on Researchers to Step Up
Important Policy and Guidance Updates
Research Security Training: Required for Compliance
Research security training remains an annual requirement for designated personnel, including Principal Investigators and Senior/Key Personnel. If you were required to complete the training, it was assigned to you in myHR Learn, though it is available to anyone who wishes to take it. To make recertification more efficient, a shorter refresher course is now available in myHR Learn—no need to retake the full training each year. You’ll receive an automated reminder when your renewal is due, and can choose to review content or proceed directly to the quiz. For technical issues, contact your local IT or NUIT; for content questions, contact Export Controls.
Important Policy and Guidance Updates
Federal Public Access Requirements: Mandatory and Now Being Enforced
Federal agencies, including NIH, NSF, and DOE, are now enforcing public access requirements for federally funded research under the 2022 OSTP Public Access Memorandum (“Nelson Memo”). Publications and underlying data must be made publicly available immediately upon publication. Faculty should confirm before submitting to a journal that publication terms allow compliance with funder requirements to avoid delays or noncompliance.
More details here
Support is available through Northwestern Libraries and research data teams:
Feinberg: ghsl-ref@northwestern.edu | p-shaw2@northwestern.edu
Pritzker Law: tom.gaylord@law.northwestern.edu
All other schools: library@northwestern.edu
Data compliance: researchdata@northwestern.edu
NIH Public Access Policy
Open Access Publishing
Important Policy and Guidance Updates
Research Integrity in the Age of AI
As AI reshapes the research landscape, Northwestern is strengthening guidance and support to help faculty safeguard the integrity of their work. New tools can accelerate discovery—but also introduce risks, from convincing yet flawed outputs to heightened public scrutiny. The University is reinforcing training, resources, and expert support to ensure research remains rigorous, transparent, and trustworthy. Faculty are encouraged to engage early with the Office for Research Integrity when questions arise and to approach AI as both a powerful tool and a responsibility. Learn more.
Research Breakthroughs
Human–AI Teams Boost Deepfake Detection Accuracy
A Northwestern-led study shows that humans can outperform leading AI systems in detecting deepfakes—and that combining the two delivers the most reliable results. Led by V.S. Subrahmanian (computer science), the research finds that human judgment and AI models make different types of errors, and pairing them significantly reduces high-confidence mistakes. The work underpins tools like the Global Online Deepfake Detection System (GODDS), developed by Northwestern's Security & AI Lab, and points to a more effective, human-centered approach to safeguarding digital information. Learn more.
Research Breakthroughs
Northwestern–Fermilab Data Powers New AI Benchmark for Quantum Systems
Researchers at Northwestern, working at Fermilab's underground NEXUS facility, are generating high-dimensional quantum data now helping train NVIDIA's new Ising open models for quantum computing. The dataset—now available through the American Science Cloud—has enabled a novel AI benchmark for calibrating quantum processors, using vision-language models to interpret complex experimental outputs. By identifying anomalies and diagnosing system performance in real time, this approach could significantly accelerate one of the field's biggest challenges: tuning and stabilizing quantum systems for reliable use. Full story.
Research Breakthroughs
Programming Materials That Act Like Living Systems
Researchers at Northwestern's Materials Research Center are developing "bioprogrammable" materials that can sense, decide, and respond to their environment—behaving more like living systems than static matter. Led by Sinan Keten (mechanical and civil/environmental engineering) and Danielle Tullman Ercek (chemical and biological engineering), the interdisciplinary work integrates materials science, biology, and data-driven design to create adaptive systems with potential applications in medicine, manufacturing, and environmental technologies. Explore one recent example of this research stream.
Research Breakthroughs
Spin Reveals the Difference Between Planets and “Failed Stars”
New research from Northwestern astronomers Jason Wang and Chih Chun “Dino” Hsu shows that giant planets spin faster than brown dwarfs—massive objects sometimes called “failed stars” because they cannot sustain nuclear fusion. This finding offers the clearest evidence yet that spin can be used to distinguish between these cosmic lookalikes, sharpening how astronomers classify worlds beyond our solar system. Read more.
Also: Allison Strom Awarded 2026 Sloan Research Fellowship
CIERA faculty member Allison Strom has been named a recipient of the prestigious 2026 Sloan Research Fellowship, recognizing her significant contributions to astrophysics and placing her among a distinguished cohort of rising scientific leaders. Learn more.
Research Breakthroughs
Can Nanoscience Build Better Clothes?
In the March 16 episode of Nanoscape: Exploring the Frontiers Ahead, Northwestern materials scientist Cécile Chazot explores how nanoscale polymers could lead to stronger, more sustainable textiles—and rethink how everyday materials are designed, used, and recycled. Her lab’s work on naturally derived polymers highlights how nature-inspired nanoscience can transform clothing, plastics, and consumer products. Listen | Watch.
Research Breakthroughs
In Case You Missed It: Northwestern Physicist Talks Dark Matter on Fox 32 Chicago
Northwestern physicist Enectali Figueroa-Feliciano recently appeared on Fox 32 Chicago to discuss the University’s work at Fermilab aimed at uncovering the mysteries of dark matter. The segment highlights research conducted deep underground, where scientists are working to detect faint signals from elusive particles that do not interact with light. Watch the video.
Research News
DNA Project Aims to Reunite Families Separated by War
IPR faculty are building a global DNA repository to help reconnect families with the more than 35,000 Ukrainian children who have gone missing during the Russia-Ukraine war. Led by political scientist Tabitha Bonilla and geneticist Sara Huston, the cross-school project also addresses family separations caused by other conflicts, natural disasters, and immigration enforcement around the world. Learn more.
Research News
Northwestern Spotlight: A Decade of Engineering Life Itself
Northwestern's Center for Synthetic Biology is celebrating its 10-year anniversary this May. As one of Northwestern’s roughly two dozen University-wide research institutes and centers, CSB unites faculty, postdocs, and students across engineering, arts and sciences, and medicine to pursue breakthroughs that no single lab or department could achieve alone.
At its core, CSB treats biology as a designable system—engineering gene circuits, developing novel biosynthetic pathways, and creating cutting-edge diagnostic tools with real-world applications in human health, energy, and environmental sustainability. Shared facilities, joint initiatives, and a deeply collaborative culture make CSB a powerful magnet for top talent across Northwestern's schools and a launchpad for transformative science. Learn more about the Center and its impact.
Research News
Biomedical Research Awareness at Northwestern
Observed each April, Biomedical Research Awareness Day highlights the essential role of animal studies in advancing medical discoveries that benefit humans and animals, while reinforcing the importance of responsible research and high standards of animal care.
At Northwestern, the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) and Center for Comparative Medicine (CCM) support this mission year-round through engagement, education, and public outreach. Recent activities—including Lewis Landsberg Research Day, NM Discovery Day, and the Chicago Area Undergraduate Research Symposium—have showcased Northwestern investigators’ contributions and the University’s commitment to ethical research and community engagement.
Research Activities Across Campus
From Discovery to Impact: Inside the Simpson Q Accelerators
Northwestern recently launched the Simpson Q Accelerators, made possible by a $25 million gift from Trustee Kimberly K. Querrey, to strengthen the pathway from research discovery to real-world impact. Building on the foundation of the Querrey InQbation Lab (“The Q”), the accelerators will initially focus on AI, medtech, and therapeutics, pairing interdisciplinary teams with targeted translational support, industry expertise, and venture development resources.
Lisa Dhar, associate vice president for innovation and new ventures, recently shared why this matters: “Translation isn’t the endpoint, as important as that translation is for impact. It also feeds back into discovery.” Full story.
Research Activities Across Campus
From Lab to Market: Telling Your Innovation’s Story
Join us for a focused, interactive session for academic entrepreneurs on turning complex technical innovations into clear, compelling narratives. Learn how to balance technical depth with business clarity and build pitch decks that effectively communicate value and market potential.
Speaker: Allen Chen, Principal, Osage University Partners
Date: Tuesday, April 28 | 10:00–11:00 AM
Location: Northwestern Querrey InQbation Lab, Evanston, Illinois
Register: https://luma.com/40sswzsr
Research Activities Across Campus
Inspiring the Next Generation Through Nanotechnology
The International Institute for Nanotechnology's All Scout Nano Day returned to campus on April 11, welcoming young learners for a day of hands-on activities, poster presentations, and direct exposure to cutting-edge nanotechnology research. The event is part of a long-running outreach effort that has introduced more than 1,600 scouts over the past 20 years to science and engineering pathways.
Research Activities Across Campus
Evidence Isn't Enough: Public Health Leaders Call on Researchers to Step Up
At a recent Institute for Policy Research panel, public health leaders and Northwestern researchers explored how science actually shapes policy—often through quick conversations, trusted messengers, and compelling stories rather than data alone. With some finding public confidence in institutions declining, panelists urged researchers to move beyond diagnosing problems and take a more active role in developing solutions.
