As quantum computers are becoming available for experiments, their enormous potential is being recognized among college communities. The goal of introducing quantum computing in college level compu...
Quantum computing is a growing field at the intersection of physics and computer science. The goal of this article is to highlight a successfully trialled quantum computing course for high school students between the ages of 15 and 18 years old. This course was designed to bridge the gap between popular science articles and advanced undergraduate textbooks. Conceptual ideas in the text are reinforced with active learning techniques, such as interactive problem sets and simulation-based labs at various levels. The course is freely available for use and download under the Creative Commons “Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International” license.
As quantum computers are becoming available for experiments, their enormous potential is being recognized among college communities. The goal of introducing quantum computing in college level computer science programs is becoming attractive. However, this goal comes with opportunities and challenges. of the challenges is that quantum computing appears to require substantial background in physics as well as in computer science. However, it is hard to convince students to major in these two fields. Computer Science students with a minor in physics can also be considered. Several alternative curriculum structures are possible. A non-consecutive two-course framework is proposed here. A course on Introduction to Quantum Computing may be offered to sophomore level students. This introductory course may teach fundamental ideas about quantum computing with basic concepts behind BQP (Bounded Error Quantum Polynomial) and related topics. This introductory course may be followed up by some physics courses (on related topics such as quantum mechanics) and some computer science courses. Then, a senior level course on Advanced Quantum Computing may be offered that may include some well-known algorithms (such as Shor's Algorithm for Quantum Factorization and Grover's Algorithm for Quantum Search) and their implementation and practices on some simulators (such as QuIDE from http://www.quide.eu/) or some prototype quantum processors (such as IBM's prototype quantum processors). For advanced level courses, some course materials are available from various sources (such as MIT OpenCourseWare). The greater challenge would be in teaching the introductory course mentioned earlier that motivates students towards investing time and efforts in learning quantum computing and related physics, math and computational topics. The challenges of teaching the introductory course should not be underestimated. Some flexible strategies can be suggested for this course so that the biggest challenges can be overcome. Some initial assessments of the students may help adjusting the introduction strategies with student's preparation. What is recommended is that the instructor should be able to adjust the coverage of topics, rigor and depth of treatment. That is, the introductory course should not be rigidly defined. It should be recognized that the main emphasis of the introductory course is actually instilling motivations and curiosity in student's mind about potentials of quantum computing through adaptive teaching of some selected topics where traditional digital computers do not provide tractable solutions. Ideally a balance could be achieved among aspects of depth of treatment, rigor, inspiration, motivation and coverage of topics. Students should be able to realize that the emerging quantum computing technology would be able to provide elegant solutions to some of the classical intractable problems combining ideas from physics, math and computer science in an innovative way. One size fits all is not a good approach and discussion of issues may help us face the challenges better by pragmatically considering a range of possible alternatives. Resources that are currently available may also need to be reviewed for the purpose of introducing quantum computing adequately.
Quantum information science and engineering (QISE) is rapidly emerging as a critical field, requiring scientists and engineers with specialized knowledge in quantum technologies.To help address this need, we organized a three-week summer workshop for incoming college freshmen, introducing them to foundational topics in calculus, physics, and programming.Within the physics portion of the program, students explored quantum mechanics and worked specifically on understanding the BB84 quantum key distribution (QKD) protocol.This manuscript focuses on our experience teaching the BB84 QKD protocol, describing what worked well, the challenges we faced, and the lessons we learned.We share successes, obstacles, and strategies for future iterations to improve educational outcomes related to this critical aspect of quantum science.