CyberTraining: Pilot: Quantum Research Workforce Development on End-to-End Quantum Systems Integration

近年来，量子计算机的制造取得了重大进展，导致IBM、谷歌、英特尔、IonQ、PsiQuantum、Xanadu和ColdQuanta等高科技和初创公司涌现出量子计算机。此外，量子计算机中的量子比特数量不断从几十个增加到数百个。因此，新兴的量子计算网络基础设施用于解决现实世界问题的实际使用指日可待；然而，量子工程劳动力的发展尚未跟上步伐，这造成了使用和优化量子系统的人才短缺，并显著减缓了探索量子前沿以推进科学和工程的进程。为了填补这一空白，该项目试行了端到端量子系统集成培训计划，该计划提供研讨会，将量子新手引入该领域，开发系统课程，为本科生和研究生为量子工程工作和研究做准备，并提供教程，使量子计算工具和方法得以广泛采用。该项目的目标是培养一支多样化的量子准备劳动力队伍，并扩大先进量子计算网络基础设施的采用。为了实现这一目标，在PI和Co-PI现有的量子计算入门课程以及量子系统优化、量子机器学习和量子错误抑制的创新研究的基础上，建立了三个引人入胜的、逐步先进的、独立的和高影响力的培训项目。这些项目被汇编成教育活动，包括课程、区域讲习班和全国性的教程。具体地说，拟议的教育活动包括(1)更新现有的题为量子计算和量子信息入门的Mason课程，使其适合工程学学生，并创建一门新的研究生课程，名为量子计算系统设计；(2)为不同的量子新手创建一个基于项目的工作坊；以及(3)开发实践教程，培训人们使用量子部署工具。该团队正在与IBM量子中心和橡树岭国家实验室(ORNL)的量子计算用户计划合作，允许在不同规模上使用量子计算机。所有教育活动都旨在促进多学科学生和研究人员采用新的和先进的量子网络基础设施，并形成量子工程研究社区。该奖项由NSF高级网络基础设施办公室颁发，由NSF计算机和信息科学与工程局内的计算和通信基础部门联合支持。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Significant progress has been made in the manufacturing of quantum computers in recent years, leading to the emergence of quantum computers from high-tech and startup companies such as IBM, Google, Intel, IonQ, PsiQuantum, Xanadu, and ColdQuanta. Moreover, the number of quantum bits in a quantum computer consistently grows from tens to hundreds. As such, the practical use of the emerging quantum computing cyberinfrastructure for solving real-world problems is just around the corner; however, the development of the quantum engineering workforce has yet to keep pace, which creates a shortage of talent to use and optimize the quantum system and significantly slows down the process of exploring quantum frontiers to advance science and engineering. To fill this gap, this project pilots an end-to-end quantum system integration training program, which provides workshops to bring quantum newcomers into the field, develops systematic courses to prepare undergraduates and graduates getting ready for quantum engineering jobs and research, and offers tutorials to enable the broad adoption of quantum computing tools and methods.The goal of this project is to grow a diverse quantum-ready workforce and broaden the adoption of advanced quantum computing cyberinfrastructure. To achieve this goal, three engaging, gradually advanced, self-contained, and high-impact training projects are built upon the PI and Co-PIs' existing courses on introduction to quantum computing, and innovative research on quantum system optimization, quantum machine learning, and quantum error suppression. These projects are compiled into educational activities, including curricula, regional workshops, and nationwide tutorials. Specifically, the proposed educational activities include (1) updating an existing Mason course, entitled Introduction to Quantum Computation and Quantum Information, to make it suitable for engineering students and creating a new graduate course, entitled Quantum Computing System Design; (2) creating a project-based workshop for diverse quantum newcomers; and (3) developing hands-on tutorials to train people in the use of quantum deployment tools. The team is collaborating with the IBM Quantum Hub and the Quantum Computing User Program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), allowing the usage of quantum computers at various scales. All educational activities aim to boost the adoption of new and advanced quantum cyberinfrastructures by multidisciplinary students and researchers and to formulate a quantum engineering research community.This award by the NSF Office of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure is jointly supported by the Division of Computing and Communication Foundations within the NSF Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering.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.