The Quantum Internship Program, directed by Research Scientist Nikola Alic (above), is the culmination of a collaboration between the Qualcomm Institute (QI) and the undergraduate student organization Quantum Computing at UC San Diego (QCSD). Started in July of 2022, this program gives undergraduate students the opportunity to get directly involved with the educational side of Quantum Information Science at QI. Specifically, interested students can take part in the curricula development of quantum information science and engineering educational program. Getting undergraduate students involved is essential for accessibility in a field where most educational opportunities are only available at the graduate level.
Student interns help develop and refine teaching tools such as QI’s Quantum Teaching Lab, as well as new courses and academic programs. Students are involved in every step of the development process for these materials, including grant proposals, course design, and experimental demonstrations. To this end, QCSD serves as a test bed for student outreach and demonstrations, as well as a pipeline for students to get involved. Furthermore, this program is an opportunity for students to immerse themselves in a rich national and international academic landscape on the cutting edge of STEM education. Alternatively, students can participate in the Quantum Information Teaching lab development, both in its build-up and development, as well as in improving the lab exercises, their practical implementation and teaching material expansion.
“The internship has been a place where I can develop the skills I’ve been working on in my own time … but in a supervised environment and with resources.”
