NeSQom 2026

NSF Workshop on Quantum Communication and Networked Systems

Bringing classical networking, distributed systems, quantum networking, and quantum information science together to shape the systems architecture of future quantum networks.

Tentative agenda September 10-11

Thursday, September 10: Hadley Room, 10th floor, Campus Center

Friday, September 11: Marriott Center, 11th Floor, Campus Center

Breakout Session: Hadley Room (10th floor), Room 804, and Room 803 at the Campus Center

About NeSQom

Connecting classical networking and quantum systems

Quantum networks will be hybrid systems in which quantum communication and classical networking are tightly integrated. NeSQom will convene researchers across both communities to identify where established networking principles transfer, where they break down, and what new abstractions are needed for correct, scalable, and manageable systems.

Technical program

Four themes for a shared research agenda

01

Routing and Resource Allocation

How should quantum networks route a resource that cannot be copied, degrades over time, and is consumed when used?

  • Entanglement routing and path selection
  • Quantum-memory allocation and generation scheduling
  • Fidelity, coherence-time, and hardware constraints
02

Control Planes and Orchestration

How should quantum networks coordinate state, control, and management under tight latency and hardware constraints?

  • Control- and data-plane separation
  • Fidelity monitoring and adaptive routing
  • Centralized versus distributed control
03

Hybrid Classical-Quantum Architectures

How should permanent dependencies between classical and quantum infrastructure shape interfaces, security, and system design?

  • Classical-quantum layer interfaces
  • Coordination for QKD and distributed computing
  • Security and performance tradeoffs
04

Performance and Experimental Methods

What models, metrics, simulators, and testbeds are needed for meaningful evaluation of quantum network systems?

  • Analytical models, simulation, and testbeds
  • Fidelity, generation-rate, and purification metrics
  • Shared evaluation standards

Workshop agenda

One and a half days of discussion and synthesis

Day 1

Thursday, September 10

Hadley Room, 10th floor, Campus Center

  1. Check-in and Breakfast
  2. Welcome Remarks
  3. NSF Remarks
  4. Presentation 1 Realizing the Quantum Internet Speaker: Chaohan Cui Moderator: Matheus Guedes De Andrade
  5. Presentation 2 Quantum Networking and Communications at ORNL Speaker: Aneesh Ramaswamy Moderator: Matheus Guedes De Andrade
  6. Presentation 3 Non-Terrestrial Quantum Communication Networks Speaker: Ruozhou Yu Moderator: Matheus Guedes De Andrade
  7. Coffee Break
  8. Presentation 4 Hop-Independent Fidelity and Yield: A Composition Primitive for Quantum Networks Speaker: Kaushik P. Seshadreesan Moderator: Aparimit Chandra
  9. Presentation 5 Scalable Quantum Networks within Classical Infrastructure Speaker: Gina Talcott Moderator: Aparimit Chandra
  10. Presentation 6 Toward Intelligent and Efficient Optical Networks: Performance Modeling, Co-existence, and Field Trials Speaker: Tingjun Chen Moderator: Aparimit Chandra
  11. Lunch
  12. Panel and Interactive Discussion Quantum Networking Landscape: Open Problems and Challenges Panelists: Chaohan Cui, Zheshen Zhang, Eden Figueroa Moderator: Kaushik P. Seshadreesan
  13. Breakout Session Hadley Room (10th floor), Room 804, and Room 803 at the Campus Center

    Group 1

    Hadley Room (10th floor)

    How can quantum networks remain robust in the face of loss, errors, and failures, and which ideas from classical fault-tolerant networking can be adapted?

    Moderator: Eden Figueroa

    Group 2

    Room 804

    How should quantum networks approach routing, path selection, and resource allocation, and which techniques can be adapted from classical networking?

    Moderator: Raj Kettimuthu

    Group 3

    Room 803

    What new services should quantum networks enable—such as distributed quantum computing and sensing—and which service abstractions can be adapted from classical networking?

    Moderator: Zheshen Zhang
  14. Coffee Break
  15. Breakout Session Presentations
  16. Break
  17. Dinner
Day 2

Friday, September 11

Marriott Center, 11th Floor, Campus Center

  1. Check-in and Breakfast
  2. Presentation 7 Quantum Information Control? Speaker: Moe Z Win Moderator: Ali Malik
  3. Panel and Interactive Discussion What Can Quantum Networks Learn from Classical Networking? Panelists: Lixin Gao, Guoliang Xue, Raj Kettimuthu Moderator: Moe Z Win
  4. Presentation 8 Backpressure Entanglement Swapping for the Quantum Internet Speaker: Dan Rubenstein Moderator: Ali Malik
  5. Coffee Break
  6. Presentation 9 Fidelity-aware Rate Allocation in a Quantum Network Speaker: Guoliang Xue Moderator: Osama Ahmad
  7. Presentation 10 Quantum Covert Communication Speaker: Michael Bullock Moderator: Osama Ahmad
  8. Closing Remarks
  9. Lunch

The agenda is subject to change.

Workshop outcomes

From discussion to a concrete research agenda

This workshop will produce open-problem statements and contribute to a research agenda for NSF.

Visitor information

Travel and logistics

Parking
Parking is available at the Campus Center. A discounted parking coupon has been emailed to attendees.
Workshop location — Thursday, September 10
Hadley Room, 10th floor, Campus Center.
Workshop location — Friday, September 11
Marriott Center, 11th Floor, Campus Center.
Breakout session rooms
Hadley Room (10th floor), Room 804, and Room 803 at the Campus Center.
Meditation room
Room 803, Campus Center.
Flight
If you are travelling by air, the closest airport is Bradley International Airport (BDL) in Connecticut, about a 40-minute drive from campus. Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) is approximately 1.5-2 hours away. Uber and Lyft are available from both airports.
Hotel
The UMass Hotel is located in the Campus Center at UMass Amherst.