Educating the Next Generation of Quantum Computing Developers

NSF的加速发现：教育未来的STEM劳动力支持可以定位未来的STEM劳动力的努力，以在NSF大想法中取得大胆的进步（https：//www.nsf.gov/about/congress/115/10bigideas.jsp）。这个加速发现项目将通过开发一个以研究为重点的量子计算和量子信息科学本科课程来支持量子飞跃和人类技术前沿大创意的工作。量子计算是世纪出现的发展最快的技术领域之一。在过去的三十年里，它已经从一个抽象的想法发展成为可以与最好的超级计算机相媲美的硬件。该项目旨在为这个不断发展的领域教育下一代STEM工作者。至关重要的是，在这些学生迷失于更成熟的领域之前，在他们的职业生涯早期就激发他们的兴趣。如果没有接受过量子计算培训的STEM工作者，与目前在这些领域投入巨资的国家相比，我们的国家将处于竞争劣势。该项目旨在招募和准备下一代量子计算开发人员。它将通过建立和扩大2018年在德克萨斯大学奥斯汀分校开始的试点项目来实现这一目标，该项目旨在向即将入学的一年级学生介绍量子计算和量子信息科学。该项目将作为德克萨斯大学奥斯汀分校成功的新生研究计划的一部分进行，该计划为一年级学生提供独特的研究型学习体验。参与新生研究计划已被证明可以提高学生的成绩，增加学生对STEM的参与，包括来自许多STEM领域代表性不足的群体的学生。该项目将在2018年试点成功的基础上，开发一个更全面的计划，将一年级学生的经验与上师课程和高级项目相结合。这些课程和经验将被整合到量子计算证书课程中，该课程将为毕业生提供在量子技术领域开展职业生涯所需的培训和正式认可。该项目将评估量子计算教育对学生发展和科学持久性的影响，使用为新生研究计划开发的评估工具和策略。这项评估的目标是确定证书课程的哪些具体方面对提高STEM专业学生的成绩贡献最大。该项目将制作一套教学材料和影响分析，重点关注早期中学后STEM学生，他们对量子物理或量子计算的先验知识知之甚少。预期的结果是一个独特的量子计算计划，可以扩展到国家层面。该项目中开发的课程材料将被包含在通过edX提供的大规模开放在线课程中，以支持公众访问和其他机构的采用。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并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，被认为值得支持。

The NSF's Accelerating Discovery: Educating the Future STEM Workforce supports efforts that can position the future STEM workforce to make bold advances in the NSF Big Ideas (https://www.nsf.gov/about/congress/115/10bigideas.jsp). This Accelerating Discovery project will support the Quantum Leap and the Work at the Human-Technology Frontier Big Ideas by developing a research-focused undergraduate program in quantum computing and quantum information science. Quantum computing is one of the fastest growing technology fields to emerge in the 21st century. Over the last thirty years, it has grown from an abstract idea to demonstrated hardware rivaling the best supercomputers for selected problems. This project is designed to educate the next generation of STEM workers for this evolving field. It is critical to engage these students' interest early in their careers before they are lost to more established fields. Without STEM workers who are trained in quantum computing, our nation would be at a competitive disadvantage compared to countries that are now investing heavily in these areas. This project aims to recruit and prepare the next generation of quantum computing developers. It will do so by building upon and expand a pilot program begun in 2018 at The University of Texas at Austin to introduce incoming first-year students to quantum computing and quantum information science. The project will be conducted as part of the University of Texas at Austin's successful Freshman Research Initiative, which provides entering first-year students with a unique research-oriented learning experience. Participation in the Freshman Research Initiative has been demonstrated to improve student performance and increase participation of students in STEM, including students from groups that are underrepresented in many STEM fields. The project will build upon the success of the 2018 pilot by developing a more comprehensive program that integrates the first-year student experience with upper division coursework and senior projects. These courses and experiences will be integrated into a certificate program in quantum computing, which will provide graduating students with the training and formal recognition needed to launch a career in quantum technology. This project will assess the impact of the quantum computing education on student development and persistence in the sciences, using assessment instruments and strategies developed for the Freshmen Research Initiative. The goal of this assessment will be to determine which specific aspects of the certificate program contribute most to improved student performance in STEM majors. This project will produce a body of instructional material and impact analysis focusing on early post-secondary STEM students who have little-to-no prior knowledge of quantum physics or quantum computing. The intended result is a unique program in quantum computing that can be scaled to a national level. The curricular materials developed in the project will be included in a Massively Open Online Course available through edX, to support access to the public and adoption by other institutions.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.