RIT leads effort to prepare students for quantum workforce

Quantum technology is poised to shape the future and improve the world, with the United Nations recently declaring the year 2025 as the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology. A team at RIT is at the forefront of bringing more students into quantum education and preparing them for jobs in the industry.

Ben Zwickl, associate professor in the School of Physics and Astronomy, is supported by more than $1.5 million in grants to help students identify and pursue quantum education and careers. He was funded by two National Science Foundation awards this past academic year and recently received a U.S. Department of Defense Army Material Command award.

“In order to grow quantum technology, you need people that know how to make, design, and build that technology,” said Zwickl. “There is a direct call to research the landscape of education opportunities in quantum science and quantum technology, to understand the jobs that are out there, and to bridge the gap between school and work.”

One part of the multi-faceted research is focused on advancing quantum sensing education. Gregory Howland, assistant professor in the School of Physics and Astronomy, is a co-principal investigator on this part of the grant work, along with Namitha Pradeep, a physics Ph.D. student.

“What we are trying to do is develop curriculum materials both at the undergraduate and graduate level,” said Pradeep. “Right now, we are interviewing subject matter experts, researchers who worked on quantum sensing, and we’re trying to understand how they understand quantum sensing and to identify the main concepts.”

The 2018 National Quantum Initiative Act established quantum technology as a national priority, yet quantum sensing, specifically, has received little attention in curricula despite its diverse application areas. Pradeep became interested in quantum information as an undergraduate student and learned about education research in graduate school. She came to RIT specifically to work on this project that combines her two areas of interest.

Another part of the research, which is in collaboration with researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder, will identify quantum-related course offerings at more than 1,500 higher education institutions across the U.S. The large data set will be used to understand how opportunities to learn about quantum science and technology vary across institution types, geography, and student demographics.

Andi Piña, postdoctoral researcher, is taking the lead on the education landscape part of the project.

“I am setting up the means of data collection and making sure we have the right infrastructure to look at the breadth of institutions we’re trying to understand and the offerings of quantum courses,” explained Piña.

Pina said the accessibility aspect of education research is something they are passionate about and hopes finding quantum programs and courses is easier for students once this project is complete.

The team is working on an assessment tool that will help provide information from students about their awareness and interest in quantum science. Fourth-year physics majors Matt Lawler and Ella Watts are involved in this aspect of the project for their senior theses.

“I came to RIT for physics, but did not know what quantum physics was. It sounded scary,” said Lawler. “The project involves figuring out why people are interested in quantum physics and how we can keep them interested. It’s not scary, it’s fun, and I enjoy tackling that.”

Collaboration with instructors will be key to ensure the data collected is useful in curriculum and program development. There will also be efforts to make career resources available to faculty and advisors for students who may be interested in quantum education and careers.

School and student data will provide insight into what is currently offered and what is known about the discipline, but also knowing what employers are looking for in quantum-related fields is crucial to the research. About 200 interviews will be conducted over the next three years with professionals in both the government and private sector to gauge what knowledge, skills, and abilities they are looking for when they hire for positions in the quantum industry.

Additional members of the research team include postdoctoral research student Mike Verostek and two students involved through RIT’s STEM Research Experience for Undergraduates program: Mateo Cacheiro, a fourth-year physics major from Tennessee Technical University, and Brett Boyle, a fourth-year physics major from Rowan University.

RIT is poised to be a leader in quantum education. The university started an interdisciplinary minor in quantum information science and technology in the fall of 2022, recognizing the importance of the emerging field.

“As a national leader in thinking about quantum education, specifically quantum information science and technology, it positions us to be really aware of what other institutions are doing and what the needs are,” said Zwickl, who is also the adviser for the minor. “It is a strategic growth area for RIT.”