NRT-QL: Quantum Photonics interdisciplinary training to Advance Quantum Technologies (QPAQT)

量子光子学旨在利用量子力学系统的独特功能来彻底改变未来的计算，通信和传感技术，并加深对宇宙的理解。它是一个跨学科的领域，专注于光子，光的基本包，在量子技术的所有三个支柱-计算，通信和传感。虽然量子光子学领域正在迅速发展，但该领域的研究生仍然在传统学术部门的框架内接受教育。这个NSF研究培训奖给新墨西哥州（UNM）的大学将满足不同本科背景的学生对量子光子学跨学科研究生培训的需求。该计划将培养175名学生，其中包括25名受资助的学员，成为量子技术硬件的通才。提供的工具和学术培训将为学员在半导体和量子技术领域的各种职业生涯做好准备。推进量子技术（QPAQT）的量子光子学跨学科培训将由一个研究兴趣在光子科学和量子技术之间交叉的教师团队领导，重点是半导体和原子，分子和光学物理器件平台。这些研究领域包括量子传感、量子网络、非线性量子光子学、集成光子学和分子量子比特。该团队将有来自电气工程，物理和化学部门以及跨学科单位的代表，包括高科技材料中心和量子信息控制中心。该项目利用UNM与大学附近的国家实验室和半导体制造设施的联系，使受训人员成为半导体和量子技术的未来劳动力。作为一个具有独特人口特征的州的旗舰大学，该计划具有扩大参与的巨大潜力。QPAQT的四个主要目标是：1）专业发展：学员将发展成为量子光子学研究人员的身份，并在专业社区内有效运作; 2）学术成就：学员将获得广泛的知识基础，进行原创性研究，并发展在量子光子学中就业所需的技能; 3）从历史上服务不足的群体中招聘和保留：超过50%的受训人员将是妇女和/或历史上服务不足的种族和民族; 4）计划的可持续性：QPAQT将在各部门和学院有效运作，并将广泛传播给学术界。主要培训内容将包括跨学科的量子光子学课程，个性化的内部和外部实习生导师制，研究轮换，在行业和国家实验室合作伙伴实习，每周一次的专业发展研讨会，以及在本科拓展计划中的同行导师制。NSF研究培训（NRT）计划旨在鼓励为STEM研究生教育培训开发和实施大胆的，新的潜在变革模式。该计划致力于通过创新，循证，并与不断变化的劳动力和研究需求保持一致的综合培训模式，在高优先级的跨学科或融合研究领域对STEM研究生进行有效培训。 该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为是值得通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估的支持。

Quantum photonics aims to harness the unique features of quantum mechanical systems to revolutionize future technologies in computing, communication, and sensing and deepen the understanding of the universe. It is an interdisciplinary field that focuses on photons, the elementary packets of light, in all three pillars of quantum technology- computing, communication, and sensing. While the quantum photonics field is growing rapidly, graduate trainees in this field are still educated within the framework of traditional academic departments. This NSF Research Traineeship award to the University of New Mexico (UNM) will address the need for cross-disciplinary graduate training in quantum photonics for students with diverse undergraduate backgrounds. The program will prepare 175 students, including 25 funded trainees, to become generalists in quantum technologies hardware. The tools and academic training provided will prepare trainees for a wide variety of careers in semiconductor and quantum technologies.Quantum Photonics interdisciplinary training to Advance Quantum Technologies (QPAQT) will be led by a faculty team whose research interests are at the intersection between photonic science and quantum technology, with an emphasis on semiconductor and atomic, molecular, and optical physics device platforms. These research areas include quantum sensing, quantum networks, nonlinear quantum photonics, integrated photonics, and molecular qubits. The team will have representation from the Electrical Engineering, Physics, and Chemistry departments and interdisciplinary units including the Center for High Technology Materials and Center for Quantum Information & Control. This project leverages UNM’s connections to national labs and semiconductor fabrication facilities near the university to prepare the trainees as the future workforce in semiconductor and quantum technologies. As a flagship university in a state with a unique demographic profile, this program has a great potential to broaden participation. QPAQT’s four primary goals are: 1) professional development: trainees will develop an identity as quantum photonics researchers and effectively operate within the professional community; 2) academic achievement: trainees will acquire a broad base of knowledge, perform original research, and develop the skills needed to find employment in quantum photonics; 3) recruitment and retention from groups that are historically underserved: more than 50% of trainees will be women and/or races and ethnicities that are historically underserved; 4) program sustainability: QPAQT will operate effectively across departments and colleges and will be widely disseminated to the academic community. Key training elements will include an interdisciplinary quantum photonics curriculum, individualized internal and external trainee mentorship, research rotations, internships at industry and national lab partners, a weekly professional development seminar, and peer mentorship in undergraduate outreach programs. The NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) Program is designed to encourage the development and implementation of bold, new potentially transformative models for STEM graduate education training. The program is dedicated to effective training of STEM graduate students in high priority interdisciplinary or convergent research areas through comprehensive traineeship models that are innovative, evidence-based, and aligned with changing workforce and research needs.    This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.