A group of scientists from five universities across the Midwest, including the University of Chicago, will lead an effort to redesign quantum science education—working with industry and national laboratories to develop a diverse, capable and effective quantum workforce.

The rapidly evolving field of quantum information science will enable transformative technologies that will have significant impact on our economy and society. Reaching that promise, however, requires developing a workforce that can meet the existing and growing demand for skilled workers across the communications, optics, computing and materials industries.

Funded by the National Science Foundation, the new multi-institutional program—called QuSTEAM: Convergent Undergraduate Education in Quantum Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics—aims to change how quantum information science and technology is taught throughout the United States.

“Quantum information science is a shift in the way technology works,” said Ohio State University physicist Ezekiel Johnston-Halperin, lead investigator on the project. “That requires a fundamentally different skillset and knowledge base than a traditional STEM degree offers, and as a result, we need a new educational approach for training a quantum-ready workforce.”

Read more at UChicago News.

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