OQI Fellows gather at IBM and are given a tour of the quantum facility

Education and Training

Open Quantum Initiative Fellowship Program

The Open Quantum Initiative (OQI) Undergraduate Fellowship offers undergraduate students from minoritized communities the opportunity to gain research experiences working in a quantum science laboratory or research group. With the support of Chicago Quantum Exchange (CQE) member and partner institutions, this fellowship helps to establish diversity, equity, and inclusion as priorities central to the development of the quantum ecosystem. 

Quick Links

2022 OQI Fellows group image

OQI Undergraduate Fellowship Details

Through the Fellowship, students expand their understanding of quantum information science and engineering (QISE), connect with leaders in academia and industry, and increase awareness of quantum career opportunities. The summer experience is aimed at developing students' research literacy skills and exposure to the wide diversity of physics subfields. Students participating in the program spend summers working in person with research groups on challenging QISE projects. Fellows will be awarded:

  • On-campus housing at their institution
  • A stipend of $6,000
  • Travel to/from the program

Research experiences occur across the CQE community including: University of Chicago, Argonne National Laboratory, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, University of Wisconsin–Madison, and Ohio State University.

Learn more

Anais El Akkad

Home Institution: Georgia Institute of Technology

Major: Physics

OQI Institution: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Faculty Mentor: Elizabeth Goldschmidt

Research Topic: Simulating superradiance in a rare-earth crystal

Atlas Bailly

Home Institution: Cornell University

Major: Physics and Mathematics

OQI Institution: Argonne National Laboratory

Faculty Mentor: Paul Kairys

Research Topic: Quantum control and dynamics of nitrogen-vacancy electron spins

Perla Bran

Perla Bran

Home Institution: Wilbur Wright College

Major: Chemical Engineer

OQI Institution: University of Chicago 

Faculty Mentor: Peter Duda

Research Topic: Coming soon

Erin Diran-Ojoojoerin

Home Institution: University of Michigan

Major: Electrical Engineering

OQI Institution: University of Wisconsin–Madison

Faculty Mentor: Jen Choy

Research Topic: Imaging and spectroscopy of color centers in diamond for quantum sensing and communication

Gabriel Gaeta

Gabriel Gaeta

Home Institution: San Jose State University

Major: Physics

OQI Institution: Argonne National Laboratory

Faculty Mentor: Jiefei Zhang

Research Topic: Optical study of ion-ion interactions of rare-earth ions in oxide hosts for quantum memory applications

Manuel Gomez

Home Institution: Arizona State University

Major: Electrical Engineering

OQI Institution: Ohio State University

Faculty Mentor: Ronald M. Reano

Research Topic: Chip-scale quantum integrated optics and photonics

Imanol Hernandez

Imanol Hernandez

Home Institution: University of California Los Angeles

Major: Physics

OQI Institution: Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory

Faculty Mentor: Andy Licli

Research Topic: The impact of errors on variational quantum algorithms

Inga Kaminsk

Home Institution: Illinois Wesleyan University

Major: Mathematics, Economics

OQI Institution: University of Wisconsin–Madison

Faculty Mentor: Maxim Vavilovvavilov

Research Topic: Superconducting resonators with voltage-controlled frequency and nonlinearity

Santiago Lopez

Santiago Lopez

Home Institution: Purdue University

Major: Physics

OQI Institution: Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory

Faculty Mentor: Gabe Perdue

Research Topic: Running quantum error correction (QEC) algorithms on a low-latency cryogenic electronics module for the readout and control of qubits

Matthew Lu

Home Institution: Vanderbilt University

Major: Physics; Mathematics

OQI Institution: Ohio State University

Faculty Mentor: Roland Kawakami

Research Topic: Optical studies of magnetism in quantum materials including 2D magnets and twisted 2D semiconductors

Kenneth Muhammad

Home Institution: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Major: Electrical Science and Engineering

OQI Institution: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Faculty Mentor: Paul Kwiat

Research Topic: Integrated optics for time-bin encoding and improved detector performance

Natasha Ninan

Home Institution: University of Akron

Major: Electrical Engineering

OQI Institution: University of Wisconsin–Madison

Faculty Mentor: Mikhail Kats

Research Topic: Electromagnetic simulations, and the design and optimization of optical structures for interfacing with quantum systems

Peter Mugaba Noertoft

Home Institution: Stanford University

Major: Electrical Engineering

OQI Institution: University of Chicago 

Faculty Mentor: David Awschalom

Research Topic: Room temperature NV magnetometer for diamond growth characterization

Shlesha Patel

Home Institution: Wilbur Wright College

Major: Mechanical Engineering

OQI Institution: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 

Faculty Mentor: Peter Abbamonte

Research Topic: Measure the noise characteristics and quantum efficiency of a charged particle detector

Jonathan Andrade

Jonathan Andrade Plascencia

Home Institution: Cornell University

Major: Chemistry, Physics

OQI Institution: Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory

Faculty Mentor: Gabe Perdue

Research Topic: Studying quantum error correction (QEC) algorithms on a low-latency cryogenic electronics module for the readout and control of qubits

Rachelle Rosiles

Home Institution: Illinois Institute of Technology

Major: Physics

OQI Institution: Argonne National Laboratory

Faculty Mentor: Nazar Delegan

Research Topic: Investigation and quantum sensing of diamond surfaces and dark reporter spins using NV- in delta-doped diamond

Selvin Tobar

Home Institution: Wilbur Wright College

Major: Chemical Engineering

OQI Institution: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Faculty Mentor: Daniel Shoemaker

Research Topic: Synthesis of rare-earth-based quantum information storage materials

Rain (Kimberly) Wang

Rain (Kimberly) Wang

Home Institution: Harvard University

Major: Physics

OQI Institution: Argonne National Laboratory

Faculty Mentor: Joe Heremans

Research Topic: Exploring quantum communication protocols under real-world conditions

Alejandro Aponte

Alejandro Aponte

Returning Fellow

Home Institution: Florida International University

Major: Physics

OQI Institution: QuantCAD

Faculty Mentor: Jennifer Flatte

Research Topic: Quantum Sensor project

Ariadna Fernandez

Ariadna Fernandez

Returning Fellow

Home Institution: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 

Major: Computer Science

OQI Institution: MemQ

Faculty Mentor: Robert Pettit

Research Topic: Simulation of Quantum Photonics Systems

Gustavo Aldas

Home Institution: Passaic County Community College

Major: Electrical & Computer Engineering

OQI Institution: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Faculty Mentor: Mikael Backlund

Research Topic: Nanoscale Magnetic Imaging Using Quantum Defects in Diamond

Alejandro Aponte

Alejandro Aponte

Home Institution: Florida International University

Major: Physics

OQI Institution: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Faculty Mentor: Elizabeth Goldschmidt

Research Topic: Development of an Imaging System to Aid the Creation of an Optical Quantum Memory Based on Rare-earth Atoms in Cryogenically Cooled Solid-state Host

Ekaterina Arutyunova

Home Institution: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Major: Physics & Electrical Engineering

OQI Institution: University of Wisconsin–Madison

Faculty Mentor: Jennifer Choy

Research Topic: Investigating the Impact of Low-Energy Electron Beam Irradiation on Nitrogen-Vacancy Formation in Diamond

Cody Castle

Home Institution: Wilbur Wright College

Major: Computer Engineering

OQI Institution: Argonne National Laboratory

Faculty Mentor: Joseph Heremans

Research Topic: Automation and Development of Diamond Membrane Delamination Process

Photo of Daniels, Eric J'Ryan

Eric J’Ryan Daniels

Home Institution: Stanford University

Major: Physics

OQI Institution: The Ohio State University

Faculty Mentor: Jay Gupta

Research Topic: Utilizing surface science techniques in ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) to characterize and control the properties of individual quantum point defects

Ariadna Fernandez

Ariadna Fernandez

Home Institution: University of Illinois Chicago

Major: Computer Science

OQI Institution: University of Chicago

Faculty Mentor: Laura Gagliardi

Research Topic: Optimizing the Variational Quantum Eigensolver (VQE) for the LAS-UCC Ground State Energy Estimation Algorithm

Kaytlin Faith Harrison

Home Institution: University of Wisconsin–Madison

Major: Physics

OQI Institution: University of Wisconsin–Madison

Faculty Mentor: Baha Balantekin

Research Topic: Pulse-level Quantum Computing of Collective Neutrino Oscillations

Louisa Mary Kaplan

Home Institution: The College of William & Mary

Major: Physics

OQI Institution: The Ohio State University

Faculty Mentor: Ezekiel Johnston-Halperin

Research Topic: Tunneling Current in Hexagonal Boron Nitride Measured by Conductive AFM

Healey Kogan

Home Institution: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Major: Engineering Physics

OQI Institution: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Faculty Mentor: Jacob Covey

Research Topic: Fabry-Perot Test Cavity Development and Experimentation

Joseph Oluwole

Home University: Chicago State University

Major: Computer Science

OQI Institution: Fermilab 

Faculty Mentor: Gabriel Perdue

Research Topic: Qiskit Pulses and Transmon qubits in Quantum Computing

Adrian Portales

Home Institution: University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Major: Mechanical Engineering

OQI Institution: Argonne National Laboratory

Faculty Mentor: Supratik Guha

Research Topic: Development of a Methodology for Stacking Dissimilar Crystalline Materials to Make Quantum Devices

Tiarna Marie Wise

Home Institution: Coppin State University

Major: Computer Science

OQI Institution: University of Chicago

Faculty Mentor: David Awschalom

Research Topic: Quantum Instrumentation Control Kit (QICK) for Optically Active Spin Qubits

 

Funding for the Summer 2023 Open Quantum Initiative is provided by: the University of Chicago, Q-NEXT at Argonne National Laboratory, the Illinois Quantum Information Science and Technology Center at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, HQAN at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, The Ohio State University, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundationand UChicago’s Inclusive Innovation in the Sciences Fund.