Johnson named executive director, CEO of Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park

Mechanical science and engineering professor Harley Johnson has formally been named Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park (IQMP).

In this new position, he will serve as executive leader for the IQMP to execute the vision and mission of the quantum and microelectronics opportunities for the University of Illinois, its partners, and the state of Illinois. Johnson is taking the lead in this unprecedented opportunity to define the future of quantum computing hardware and algorithms.

Johnson will formally step down from his role as Associate Dean for Research in The Grainger College of Engineering, a position in which he served for five years, beginning in 2019. Under his leadership, the college research enterprise grew significantly and undertook several major new initiatives.

Johnson will lead the IQMP alongside physics professor Brian DeMarco, in the role of Director and Chief Technology Officer (CTO).