With over 90 staff, 50 postdocs, and 80 students from various backgrounds and disciplines, a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at all levels is paramount to QSA. DEI informs the Center’s vision and mission that champions innovation, engagement, representation, and psychological safety for everyone.
As it prepares the next generation of scientists and engineers, QSA established an Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accountability, and Solutions working group early in its foundation, composed of QSA members and diversity, equity, and inclusion subject matter experts.
QSA supports a Quantum Research Pod at the Simons Institute, embedding 20 quantum postdocs and visiting scientists in Simons’ computing theory ecosystem for significant training opportunities and sustained interdisciplinary exchange within the QIS academic community. The Simons Institute is a leading venue for interdisciplinary computational collaborative research, bringing computer scientists, physicists, chemists, mathematicians, and others together for cutting-edge research and training programs.
QSA leads QCaMP, a week-long (virtual and in-person) summer camp aimed at the high school level, with separate programs for high school teachers and students in California and New Mexico. QCaMP is free and participants receive a learning stipend.
QSA participates in the annual QIS Career Fair facilitated by the five DOE National Quantum Information Science Research Centers: C2QA, QSA, QSC, Q-NEXT, and SQMS. The diverse composition of students and postdoctoral researchers who participated in the widely attended 2022 and 2021 virtual QIS career fairs demonstrates the significant anticipated national impact of the NQISRCs on national security, economic competitiveness, and the U.S. continued leadership in quantum information science.
QSA supports the U.S. QIS Summer School (USQIS) facilitated by the five DOE National Quantum Information Science Research Centers: C2QA, QSA, QSC, Q-NEXT, and SQMS. This first edition of the school in August 2023 is a ten-day program targeted to undergraduate students, graduate students, postdocs, scientists, engineers, and technicians interested in learning about the field on theoretical and practical levels. USQIS is also available to current universities, national labs, and industry employees for unique hands-on training opportunities and integrated lectures.
Building a More Inclusive Community
To grow a peer mentorship community focused on increasing engagement, inclusion, and cross-center integration for all members, QSA launched a Peer-to-peer mentoring program that helps to develop networks, career skills, and life-long colleagues. QSA recently hosted the “You Belong in Quantum” panel discussion about creating a gender-inclusive quantum field as part of their peer-to-peer mentoring effort to find support among staff with similar career goals.
During the first in-person All-Hands Meeting in Berkeley, California, in May 2023, QSA organized career panels for members to network beyond their research areas and institutions, ask questions, and discuss innovation with established colleagues in a fast-paced field.
