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

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.