The University of Georgia has received a $2 million grant to work on designing a new computer that can more rapidly solve problems in such fields as cryptography, mathematics and physics.

UGA's Michael Geller - along with two other UGA researchers and John Martinis of the University of California, Santa Barbara - will try to create the world's first quantum computer.

The money is from the National Science Foundation. It puts the scientists in the middle of an international race to design and build the first quantum computer, which can break complex codes and solve complicated mathematical and engineering problems.

Online:

University of Georgia: http://www.uga.edu

Tags: University of Georgia, National Science Foundation, Michael Geller, researchers