Investigating the Future of Quantum in South Chicago

October 9, 2025
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm

South Shore Branch, Chicago Public Library, 2505 E 73rd St, Chicago, IL 60649

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What if a new generation of computers, faster and smarter than the ones we have now, can power the local economy in South Chicago? That’s the $500 million bet that Gov. J.B. Pritzker is putting on the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park, one of the biggest and most ambitious tech hubs planned for an industry that’s still mostly in its research and development phase. The South Chicago community has been waiting for decades for something to replace the Steel Mill that once employed tens of thousands of people and has been abandoned since 1992. Developers have come and gone, going as far as purchasing the land, but plans to convert the property into businesses and housing never materialized.

The Illinois Answers Project, The Chicago Council on Science and Technology, and Block Club Chicago present an evening of conversations about inclusive economic growth, the promise of quantum computing, and community hopes and worries about these major changes. We will be talking to experts to find out more about some of the key questions surrounding the development. What do quantum computers do today? What is the hope for this technology in the future? What does inclusive economic growth and development look like? What impact could construction and operations have on the environment?

Event Details

Event Details

Free, Registration is appreciated but not required

Date and Time: October 9th, 6 pm

Location: South Shore Branch, Chicago Public Library, 2505 E 73rd St, Chicago, IL 60649

Schedule:

5:30 pm – Doors Open

6:00 – 7:00 pm – Expert Conversations and Q&A

Age Range: Recommended for high school and up, but all are welcome

We are dedicated to providing an inclusive environment for everyone. Please respect diversity in individuals and in cultures.

Notice: As a guest of the Chicago Council on Science and Technology (C2ST), you agree to be photographed, videotaped, or filmed and grant C2ST permission to put the finished footage/photography to any uses that it may deem proper including marketing, advertising (print, radio, and television) and PR-related activities.

 

Featured Guests

Moderator: Binghui Huang

Binghui Huang is an investigative reporter covering economic and equity issues in Chicago. She previously covered health and business at the Indianapolis Star. With more than a decade in local news, she has uncovered dangerous carcinogenic pollution by a medical device maker, investigated worker abuses in RV factories and revealed shoddy work by workplace safety inspectors due to decades of underfunding and cuts to the department. Her reporting has prompted changes in business practices, legislative reform and increased funding to critical programs.

Moderator: Maxwell Evans

Maxwell covers Hyde Park, Woodlawn, South Shore and the Southeast Side for Block Club Chicago, where he writes about everything from housing and environmental justice to arts and new businesses. He is a South Shore resident who hails from Kalamazoo, Michigan, and loves D’Angelo, shish kofta and the Toronto Raptors. 

Emily W. Easton - Director, Education and Workforce Programs, Chicago Quantum Exchange

Stacey Sutton - Professor and Cofounder of the Solidarity Economic Research, Policy and Law Project.

A. Anne Holcomb - Co-Chair of Environment, Transportation, Health and Open Space (ETHOS)

Clifton Muhammad - Owner, Record Track