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，彻底改变未来的计算、通信和传感技术，加深对宇宙的理解。这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。美国国家科学基金会授予新墨西哥大学（UNM）的研究实习生奖将解决具有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。该项目将培养175名学生，其中包括25名受资助的学员，成为量子技术硬件方面的通才。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做好准备。推进量子技术的量子光子学跨学科培训（QPAQT）将由一个教师团队领导，他们的研究兴趣是光子科学和量子技术的交叉，重点是半导体和原子、分子和光学物理设备平台。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系、物理系和化学系以及包括高科技材料中心和量子信息与控制中心在内的跨学科单位的代表。该项目利用新墨西哥大学与大学附近的国家实验室和半导体制造设施的联系，为受训人员成为半导体和量子技术的未来劳动力做好准备。作为拥有独特人口结构的州的旗舰大学，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，并培养就业所需的技能；3)从历史上服务不足的群体中招聘和保留：超过50%的学员将是女性和/或历史上服务不足的种族和族裔；4)项目的可持续性：QPAQT将在各院系和学院之间有效运作，并将广泛传播到学术界。关键的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指导、研究轮岗、在行业和国家实验室合作伙伴的实习、每周一次的专业发展研讨会以及本科生拓展项目的同伴指导。美国国家科学基金会研究实习生（NRT）计划旨在鼓励开发和实施大胆的、具有潜在变革性的STEM研究生教育培训新模式。该项目致力于通过创新、循证、适应不断变化的劳动力和研究需求的综合培训模式，在高优先级跨学科或融合研究领域对STEM研究生进行有效培训。   该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，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。

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.