About

The 2018 National Quantum Initiative Act recognized the importance of strategic, federally coordinated support for quantum information science and engineering (QISE) research to maintain economic competitiveness, sustain national security, and fuel transformative scientific advancement. This immediately accelerated the pace of an already rapidly advancing field and, consequently, surged the demands for trained quantum engineers.

To satisfy these workforce needs and remain globally competitive, the U.S. must train an increasing number of quantum engineers and scientists. This requires reaching beyond the existing pipelines and providing equal resources to a broader range of communities. Success relies on recognizing the critical role and understanding the barriers faced by Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), which train a disproportionately large number of underrepresented students who earn bachelor’s degrees in STEM fields. To this end, a series of NSF-funded workshops entitled Supporting Minority Serving Institutions in the Creation of a Diverse, Quantum-Ready Workforce have been designed to prescribe a strategy to help broaden participation in QISE.

Topics include

• a presentation of flourishing QISE research at MSIs,
• identifying strengths and obstacles faced by MSIs in participating in quantum research and developing specialized QISE programs,
• protocols to gain access to nationwide facilities offering specialized equipment for quantum research,
• development of specialized quantum courses and academic programs, and
• opportunities to develop strategic partnerships with industry.

The first workshop provides seed funding to select groups who present competitive, innovative plans to achieve these goals; these groups subsequently report on their progress during the second meeting. Outcomes include implementation of several new initiatives and a whitepaper summarizing the unearthed barriers and prescribing novel activities to fuel sustained increases in the participation of underrepresented minorities in QISE.

About

The 2018 National Quantum Initiative Act recognized the importance of strategic, federally coordinated support for quantum information science and engineering (QISE) research to maintain economic competitiveness, sustain national security, and fuel transformative scientific advancement. This immediately accelerated the pace of an already rapidly advancing field and, consequently, surged the demands for trained quantum engineers.

To satisfy these workforce needs and remain globally competitive, the U.S. must train an increasing number of quantum engineers and scientists. This requires reaching beyond the existing pipelines and providing equal resources to a broader range of communities. Success relies on recognizing the critical role and understanding the barriers faced by Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), which train a disproportionately large number of underrepresented students who earn bachelor’s degrees in STEM fields. To this end, a series of NSF-funded workshops entitled Supporting Minority Serving Institutions in the Creation of a Diverse, Quantum-Ready Workforce have been designed to prescribe a strategy to help broaden participation in QISE.

Topics include

• a presentation of flourishing QISE research at MSIs,
• identifying strengths and obstacles faced by MSIs in participating in quantum research and developing specialized QISE programs,
• protocols to gain access to nationwide facilities offering specialized equipment for quantum research,
• development of specialized quantum courses and academic programs, and
• opportunities to develop strategic partnerships with industry.

The first workshop provides seed funding to select groups who present competitive, innovative plans to achieve these goals; these groups subsequently report on their progress during the second meeting. Outcomes include implementation of several new initiatives and a whitepaper summarizing the unearthed barriers and prescribing novel activities to fuel sustained increases in the participation of underrepresented minorities in QISE.