6/25/2026 Megan Altmyer
PhD student Nathaniel Irwin was selected to receive a Department of Defense National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship to continue his work with quantum photonics using silicon carbide materials.
Written by Megan Altmyer
PhD student Nathaniel Irwin was recently awarded a Department of Defense National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship. The three-year NDSEG Fellowship is a highly competitive award that pays for the fellow's tuition and fees as well as provides a monthly stipend and medical insurance allowance.
Irwin's work aligns closely with research priorities identified in Department of Defense services Broad Agency Announcements, particularly in areas related to quantum information science, secure communications, and next-generation computing technologies. Support through the NDSEG Fellowship will allow him to continue advancing this research while continuing his graduate studies.
Irwin's research explores new ways to make quantum communication faster, more reliable, and scalable. The project focuses on silicon carbide (SiC), a material already widely used in advanced electronics, and investigates how its unique electronic, photonic, and quantum capabilities can be combined on a single chip.
The goal is to develop key technologies for quantum networking, including devices that can store and transmit quantum information over long distances. These advances could help connect future quantum computers and enable highly secure communication systems. By integrating quantum memory, electronic control, and photonic communication capabilities into a single platform, the research aims to overcome some of the biggest challenges facing practical quantum networks today.
"This fellowship serves as a two-fold recognition of the possible impact of this project, and the hard work to get myself to this point in the first place. Having a NDSEG Fellowship gives me increased financial flexibility and provides me with ample opportunities to travel and connect with outstanding scholars across a myriad of fields, not just quantum information science. It also gets rid of the burden of finding RAships or TAships for the next 3 years, allowing me to fully focus on executing my research proposal."
Graduate advisor Chris Anderson had this to add, "The NDSEG is one of the most prestigious fellowships available to graduate students in science and engineering, and I know firsthand how transformative it can be, having received the fellowship myself as a graduate student. Nathaniel is exceptionally deserving of this recognition. His technical and academic excellence are reflected in his ambitious vision to advance quantum photonics using silicon carbide materials. I am excited to see how this fellowship supports his continued growth as a researcher and future leader in the field."