April 28, 2026 -- Three University of Calgary-led projects have received funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) as part of Canada's National Quantum Strategy, which aims for global leadership that can “transform how people work and live” through quantum advancements.

The awards include a $450,000 supplement to the lab of Dr. Paul Barclay, PhD, alongside two $25,000 G7 International Catalyst grants to Drs. Seonghwan Kim and Shabir Barzanjeh, both PhD.

The funding supports early stage exploration of new quantum ideas, international research collaboration, and the hiring and training of highly qualified personnel working at the intersection of quantum science, advanced materials and engineering.

Building made-in-Canada diamond quantum sensors

Alongside Schulich School of Engineering assistant professor Dr. Erika Janitz, and Faculty of Science professor Dr. Christoph Simon, both PhD, Barclay’s team works with diamonds engineered at extremely small scales to create powerful quantum sensors. These sensors could play a future role in applications like navigation systems that don’t rely on GPS, and in tools that detect very small changes in the environment — capabilities that could be important for areas like defence, transportation and environmental monitoring.

Given its high-quality properties, “diamond is basically one of those contenders,” says Barclay, also a professor in the Faculty of Science, referring to materials being explored worldwide for quantum technologies.

To help ensure Canada is prepared to supply and develop this technology domestically, Barclay’s team partners with Canadian company Aria Labs for their lab-grown diamonds, to avoid relying on overseas suppliers.

“We want to be sure that Canada is in position to not lose out on that approach if and when it becomes the leading technique,” he says.

Detecting toxic heavy metal ions in water with quantum materials

Kim’s G7 grant supports one project in his Schulich research portfolio that’s aimed at advancing water safety — an issue affecting communities globally as contamination standards tighten and monitoring gaps persist, according to a 2025 Wiley study.

Alongside research associate Dr. Arindam Phani, PhD, Kim’s team is developing quantum-enabled materials that can detect extremely small concentrations of toxic heavy metal ions in water and identify them directly at the source, without needing to send samples to a lab.

“Our eventual goal is we want to have a portable, real-time sensor,” says Kim. “If we have technology which can be easily implemented, that’s highly sensitive and selective, it can be used in many places.”

The work brings together expertise from UCalgary and collaborators at the University at Buffalo, strengthening cross-border research and accelerating progress toward practical, field-ready tools.

Quantum accelerometers for safer use in everyday devices

Barzanjeh’s newest G7 grant supports a small, but critical extension of a larger quantum portfolio, which has now received almost $1.6 million in total from the federal government. He and his team are developing a new type of quantum accelerometer, a technology that measures motion. Accelerometers are already used in cars, phones, airplanes and medical devices, but he says quantum approaches would potentially improve their performance.

“We have accelerometers almost everywhere,” says Barzanjeh, an associate professor in the Faculty of Science. “Quantum phenomena allows you to reach higher precision and sensitivity, which is not possible with classical systems.”

In vehicles, for example, accelerometers help detect rapid changes in motion during a collision — key information that determines when and how airbags deploy, says Barzanjeh. He adds that improving the sensitivity and stability of these sensors could reduce the risk of airbags deploying at the wrong time.

Beyond cars, he notes that more precise accelerometers could also improve navigation systems, fall-detection technology and drones by enabling more accurate motion tracking and control.

The project builds on a long-standing international collaboration with Dr. David Vitali, PhD, at the University of Camerino in Italy, allowing Barzanjeh’s team to combine theoretical and experimental expertise across borders.

“This international type of funding is really good and extremely efficient. They are important to enable relationships outside Canada and make future expansion possible so that we can have some continuation beyond a couple of years,” says Barzanjeh.