Brian Gaucher (ERVA): Why engineering, not physics, now limits quantum progress

Yuval Boger interviews Brian Gaucher, an experienced engineer and IBM veteran who co-chaired ERVA’s report Engineering Research to Advance Quantum Technologies. Brian explains that while U.S. quantum science remains strong, global competition is accelerating and the key limiter is no longer physics discovery but engineering the path from “lab to fab”—scalable, manufacturable, reliable systems. They discuss why the U.S. should pursue a coordinated, semiconductor-like national strategy with shared pilot lines, standards, metrology, public-private investment, and a broader workforce—not just physicists. They also cover the report’s four pillars (materials, biology, computing, AI), the importance of domestic fabrication, and why biology and quantum sensing may deliver surprisingly near-term impact. ​​Yuval: Hello, Brian, and thank you for joining me today. Brian: My pleasure. Yuval: So Brian, who are you and what do you do? Brian: Oh, good question. It’s a long sordid story. I started off as an electrical engineer and hardware designer by background. And I spent probably 10 or 12 years at an aerospace and defense company doing military R&D for satellite and radar communications systems, and then moved to IBM where they wanted me to translate a million dollar communication system to something that would be cost effective in a…