Pivots: Creating a Pathway to a Career in Quantum Information Science and Technology

量子信息科学与技术（QIST）是一项重要的国家优先事项，预计将在推进科学发现和创新方面发挥关键作用。目前和预期的对量子教育劳动力的需求远远超过了现有的人才，这并没有反映出人口的多样性。该项目将通过为STEM专业人员开发一条新的途径来应对这一挑战，以利用罗得岛大学（URI）的新在线量子计算证书计划转向QIST。为了加强该计划的推广，以寻求在QIST职业生涯的专业人士，战略伙伴关系将形成与MITRE公司。作为一家在量子技术领域拥有丰富专业知识的非营利企业实体，MITRE将与工业界、学术界和政府合作，在这一领域为美国政府提供支持。通过这种合作，该计划的参与者将直接接触到经验丰富的QIST专业人员，他们将提供指导并专注于职业发展。此外，他们将获得宝贵的体验式学习机会。该项目的成功实施将为全国QIST的学术/企业合作伙伴关系提供一个模式，旨在为QIST职业重新培训专业人员。URI的量子计算在线证书课程是专为持有STEM学位的专业人士设计的一种新途径。该计划包括四个7周的异步在线课程。其主要目标有两个：为量子算法奠定坚实的基础，可应用于现实世界的行业用例，并提供对QIST各个方面的全面了解，例如传感、隐形传态、密码学和通信。该项目的独特之处在于它与MITRE的合作，这有助于体验部分。现实世界的QIST挑战将被整合到教育项目中，这些项目将由研究人员和MITRE共同开发。通过积极参与这些教育项目，参与者将获得解决真实QIST问题的实践经验。该项目将采用一种模拟专业环境的群组模式，并将促进在参与者中形成一个支持性社区。该项目的成功将根据两个关键因素进行评估：参与者的数量和多样性以及他们在过渡到QIST职业生涯中的成就。该项目与由NSF TIP和EDU董事会资助的NSF ExLENT计划保持一致，因为它旨在为来自不同专业和教育背景的个人提供体验式学习机会，以增加他们对以下内容的兴趣和访问：该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值进行评估，被认为值得支持和更广泛的影响审查标准。

Quantum Information Science and Technology (QIST) is an important national priority that is expected to play a crucial role in advancing scientific discovery and innovation. The current and anticipated demand for a quantum-educated workforce far exceeds the available talent, which does not reflect the diversity of the population. This project will respond to this challenge by developing a new pathway for STEM professionals to pivot towards QIST leveraging a new online quantum computing certificate program at the University of Rhode Island (URI). To enhance the program's outreach to professionals seeking a career in QIST, a strategic partnership will be formed with the MITRE Corporation. As a not-for-profit corporate entity with extensive expertise in quantum technologies, MITRE will be collaborating with industry, academia, and government to support the US government in this domain. Through this collaboration, participants in the program will have direct access to experienced QIST professionals who will provide mentoring and focus on career development. Additionally, they will be offered valuable experiential learning opportunities. Successful execution of this project will lead to a model for fostering academic/corporate partnerships in QIST nationwide, aiming to retrain professionals for QIST careers.The online certificate program in quantum computing at URI is a novel pathway designed specifically for professionals holding STEM degrees. This program comprises four 7-week asynchronous online courses. Its primary objectives are twofold: to establish a solid foundation in quantum algorithms, which can be applied to real-world industry use-cases, and to provide a comprehensive understanding of various aspects of QIST, such as sensing, teleportation, cryptography, and communication. This project's unique feature lies in its collaboration with MITRE, which contributes to the experiential component. Real-world QIST challenges will be integrated into the educational projects, which will be jointly developed by the researchers and MITRE. Through active participation in these educational projects, participants will gain practical experience in tackling authentic QIST problems. This project will follow a cohort model, simulating a professional environment, and will foster the formation of a supportive community among the participants. The success of the project will be assessed based on two key factors: the number and diversity of participants and their achievements in transitioning into QIST careers. This project aligns with the NSF ExLENT Program, funded by the NSF TIP and EDU Directorates, as it seeks to support experiential learning opportunities for individuals from diverse professional and educational backgrounds to increase their interest in, and their access to, career pathways in emerging technology fields.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.