With support from the Division of Chemistry, Professors David Awschalom and Giulia Galli of the University of Chicago, and Professor Danna Freedman of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, along with their collaborators at the University of Glasgow in the United Kingdom, are investigating how magnetic quantum-mechanical spin states in molecules can be efficiently measured using light. Molecular magnetic spin states could play an important role in quantum information science. Their long lifetimes, along with the versatility that chemistry offers to manipulate their structure and function, could enable the control of quantum mechanical properties such as entanglement, where the behavior of two or more particles is correlated even when they are separated by large distances. However, a key challenge has been measuring single spins in molecules, where quantum features are most apparent. The research team seeks to address this challenge by creating molecules whose spins can be efficiently interfaced with light. Their discoveries could enable the creation of entangled states that are currently out of reach and contribute to the advancement of quantum-enhanced sensors for understanding chemical and biological systems. This award is made under the NSF-UKRI lead agency opportunity. The project will combine synthetic chemistry, theory, and spin-optical spectroscopies, to develop the systems and techniques that enable entanglement to be created, sustained, and detected in comple