WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The Purdue Quantum Science and Engineering Institute (PQSEI) held its 6th annual Quantum Summer School for undergraduate and graduate students. More than 100 people attended the two-day event, which was supported by the Purdue University College of Engineering, College of Science and the Center for Quantum Technologies. It featured a lineup of lectures, career preparation sessions, and industry demonstrations.
The program began with chalk talks led by experienced graduate students and postdocs, setting the stage for deep technical dives. Over the course of the event, attendees participated in a series of lectures by leading academic researchers from Purdue University, Michigan State University, University of Michigan, Northwestern University, Indiana University, University of Illinois Chicago, and Washington University in St. Louis. Complementing the academic focus, the summer school featured industry engagement, including a hands-on training session by Nick Brønn from IBM and a lecture and demonstration by Al McLean and Augusto Carvalho from IonQ. The school covered a variety of topic areas ranging from quantum materials and devices to quantum algorithms and optimization.
Recognizing the growing need for quantum professionals, a central highlight of the conference was a special panel session dedicated to career development. Moderated by PQSEI Executive Director David Stewart, the “Preparing for a Job in Quantum” panel featured insights from industry and government experts, including Gwen Leifer of Lockheed Martin, Nick Brønn of IBM, and Sam Peana of Sandia National Lab.
The summer school culminated on Friday afternoon with a tour of the Birck Nanotechnology Center and the Microsoft Quantum Lab, giving students a firsthand look at state-of-the-art research facilities and hardware.
“The Quantum Summer School is a critical component of our mission to build the future quantum workforce,” said Professor Michael Manfra, Purdue’s Chief Quantum Officer and Director of PQSEI. “By connecting talented students with leading academic researchers and industry pioneers, we are actively shaping the talent pipeline necessary to power the nation’s quantum economy and cementing our region as a hub for quantum innovation.”
About the Purdue Quantum Science and Engineering Institute (PQSEI)
Located in Discovery Park, PQSEI fosters the development of practical and impactful aspects of quantum science and focuses on discovering and studying new materials and basic physical quantum systems that will be suited for integration into tomorrow’s technology. It encourages interdisciplinary collaboration leading to the design and realization of industry-friendly quantum devices with enhanced functionality and performance close to the fundamental limits. PQSEI lays out strategies for the design of systems based on these devices to bring these new levels of functionality and performance to a vast community of users.