| Lafayettee Journal & Courier
WEST LAFAYETTE — Purdue University has named Michael Manfra as its chief quantum officer, effective Jan. 1.
Manfra, currently the director of the Purdue Quantum Science and Engineering Institute, will oversee the university’s quantum initiatives, according to a community announcement.
The new role aims to enhance Purdue’s engagement with industry and government partners and integrate quantum research into the university’s broader initiatives.
A background in quantum science
Manfra holds multiple titles at Purdue, including 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. He will also serve as a special adviser to university President Mung Chiang and Provost Patrick Wolfe.
“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 in the announcement. “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.”
Expanding quantum education at Purdue
The demand for talent in quantum science and technology is expected to grow significantly in the next decade. As chief quantum officer, Manfra will oversee Purdue’s newly launched quantum degrees program. The program combines theory with practical application in quantum computing, communications and sensing.
“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 for his research in quantum science and its applications to technology. He led a team of Purdue scientists who provided evidence of the existence of anyons, a particle important in building a fault-tolerant utility-scale quantum computer.
He has also spent a decade as a research scientist at Bell Laboratories and served as the scientific director of Microsoft Quantum, West Lafayette, before taking the helm at PQSEI in 2025.
Manfra was awarded the American Physical Society’s 2026 Oliver E. Buckley Condensed Matter Physics Prize for the experimental observation of anyons in two-dimensional electron systems.
Quantum science and engineering at Purdue is a key part of the Purdue Computes initiative, which focuses on advancing research in computing, physical AI, semiconductors and quantum technologies.
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