Written by Meredith Fore
Education in quantum mechanics has lagged for years. Experts are trying to change this.
In the last few decades, quantum technology has moved from the theoretical to the tangible: Quantum computers can have hundreds of quantum bits (up from a few dozen just a few years ago), quantum information can be transmitted hundreds of miles and even to and from orbital satellites, and quantum sensors are becoming some of the most precise instruments in the world. But as this wave of innovation continues, a necessary element lags behind: a quantum-educated workforce.
“Investments in [quantum information science and technology] by new and existing companies have accelerated over the last decade, and the supply of talent is not keeping up with demand,” reads a strategic plan published by the National Science and Technology Council. The answer? Train and prepare more people for quantum careers.
In June, experts in quantum education gathered at the 53rd Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics (DAMOP) to discuss how the field can meet the growing need for quantum-educated workers. It may require changes to the quantum mechanics curriculum that’s been taught for almost a century, as well as new degrees, courses, and programs.
Part of the challenge is quantum mechanics itself: The field is notoriously unintuitive. Fundamental quantum concepts such as superposition and entanglement have no direct analogy to a person’s everyday experience, and so are often taught using their mathematical foundations—with mixed success.
“Teaching quantum mechanics using standard differential equations doesn’t work very well with the students,” said James Freericks, professor of physics at Georgetown University. “We teach it three times, almost identically every time: sophomore, upper-level undergraduate, and graduate. And often even after seeing it three times, students struggle with it.”
Gina Passante, physics education researcher at California State University–Fullerton, heard similar sentiments from faculty she interviewed who taught courses in quantum information: Quantum mechanics was an obstacle for almost all students. One faculty member said that “how much quantum mechanics the students had previously been exposed to was not a very good indicator [of]…how well they did in the course.”
Already, initiatives to fill these gaps have sprouted up across the country. The National Q-12 Education Partnershipis compiling resources and learning tools for grades K-12 to “inspire the next generation of quantum leaders.” The QuSTEAM initiative is developing undergraduate curricula for quantum information science and engineering, some of which are being rolled out in institutions this fall. Federal quantum research centers have started workforce development efforts of their own, and schools like the University of Chicago have launched professional certificate programs to help workers transition their STEM careers into the field of quantum technology.