Purdue Names Michael Manfra Chief Quantum Officer
Summarize this article with:
Insider Brief Michael Manfra has been appointed chief quantum officer at Purdue University, effective January 1, 2026, while continuing as director of the Purdue Quantum Science and Engineering Institute. In the newly created role, Manfra will oversee Purdue’s quantum research portfolio, industry and government partnerships, and educational programs, and advise university leadership on integrating quantum efforts into the Purdue Computes initiative. Manfra is recognized for experimental work demonstrating evidence of anyons and previously served in leadership roles at Bell Laboratories and Microsoft Quantum. PRESS RELEASE — Purdue University announced Tuesday (March 3) that quantum computing expert Michael Manfra has been appointed chief quantum officer, effective Jan. 1, 2026. He is currently director of the Purdue Quantum Science and Engineering Institute (PQSEI). In this newly established joint role, Manfra — the Bill and Dee O’Brien Distinguished Professor of Physics and Astronomy, professor in the Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and professor of materials engineering — will strategically guide Purdue’s quantum portfolio including its engagement with industry and government partners, educational activities, and serve as special advisor to university President Mung Chiang and Provost Patrick Wolfe to integrate quantum research into the broader Purdue Computes initiative. “Mike is the right person, and now is the right time, for this appointment, given the potential of quantum technologies to transform our future,” Wolfe said. “A team player for Purdue and someone whose research career has consistently generated important firsts, Mike’s strategic understanding of the broad and promising landscape in quantum science and engineering will position us well to advance and integrate our growing quantum research portfolio.” The need for highly skilled talent in quantum science and technology is expected to grow dramatically in the next decade. As chief quantum officer, Manfra’s wide-ranging responsibilities include overseeing Purdue’s newly launched quantum degrees program. Purdue is preparing the nation’s next-generation quantum workforce by offering an array of educational opportunities in quantum computing, communications and sensing that combine theory with practical application. “I look forward to continuing to work with the Purdue teams that are advancing understanding and practical applications of quantum science,” Manfra said. “We will also forge new partnerships with industry and government agencies to accelerate the translation of quantum science to useful technologies.” Manfra is recognized globally as a groundbreaking researcher in quantum science and its applications to technology. He led a team of Purdue scientists who demonstrated concrete evidence of the existence of anyons, a particle that is particularly important in efforts to build a fault-tolerant utility-scale quantum computer. He also has a keen understanding of the relationship between research conducted in industry and academia, having spent a decade as a research scientist at Bell Laboratories before joining the Purdue faculty in 2009. In 2016 Manfra became the scientific director of Microsoft Quantum, West Lafayette, part of Microsoft’s global effort to build a utility-scale quantum computer before taking the PQSEI helm in 2025. Manfra was also awarded the American Physical Society’s 2026 Oliver E.
Buckley Condensed Matter Physics Prize, which recognizes outstanding theoretical or experimental contributions to condensed matter physics for the experimental observation of anyons in two-dimensional electron systems. Quantum science and engineering at Purdue is a pillar of the Purdue Computes initiative, which is focused on advancing research in computing, physical AI, semiconductors and quantum technologies.
Mohib Ur Rehman LinkedIn Mohib has been tech-savvy since his teens, always tearing things apart to see how they worked. His curiosity for cybersecurity and privacy evolved from tinkering with code and hardware to writing about the hidden layers of digital life. Now, he brings that same analytical curiosity to quantum technologies, exploring how they will shape the next frontier of computing. Share this article: