Hoosier universities with national laboratories say the state is well positioned to become a leader in certain scientific research areas.

Scientists from around the country were in Indianapolis this week to learn more about technological innovations in the state.  The first Indiana National Lab Day hosted federal science and technology leaders and Indiana researchers to highlight quantum science and engineering work being done in the state.

Much of that work comes out of the University of Notre Dame, Purdue University, Indiana Innovation Institute and Indiana University.

Jeff Zaleski is the Interim Vice Provost of Research at Indiana University.

“That concentration of effort and knowledge base among those groups is really remarkable and it’s something that’s a little bit understated and people around the country don’t know about the caliber and capabilities that we actually have here,” says Zaleski.

Topic areas focused on microelectronics, hypersonics, artificial intelligence and quantum information science.

Zaleski says experts around the state are collaborating on these projects.

“You need teams to be able to put that kind of data and resources together to be able to produce something that has the ability to secure contracts of that scale,” says Zaleski.

National labs award millions in contracts to advance science and technology.

Ten of the 17 U.S. Department of Energy’s National Labs were represented at the event.

Contact Jill at jsheridan@wfyi.org or follow her on Twitter at @JillASheridan.