And Now For Something Complete Different: Quantum Computing

 If you're not paying attention to quantum technology development, you're missing out on the most exciting tech evolutions happening. Quantum computers are still in development, but as MIT suggests, "Thanks to some recent breakthroughs, aggressive roadmapping, and high levels of funding, we may see general-purpose quantum computers earlier than many would have anticipated just a few years ago".

Had I remained in the classroom this year I would have been building a library of quantum computing resources that I could introduce to my seniors in hopes that some of them might consider it as a viable (and much supported) pathway in their post-secondary journey. But I'm not in the classroom, so I'm considering quantum on a much bigger scale, ideally a national one where I can connect educators to accessible quantum technology learning opportunities for students both in STEM and in non-technical fields of study.

Back in January, the Minister of Innovation, Science & Economic Development for Canada (ISED), François-Philippe Champagne, announced Canada's Quantum Strategy. Looking past the ambition in the announcement, Champagne described Quantum as "...not vertical, it’s horizontal. Like AI, it is going to have an impact on everything.” This emphasizes the breadth of this new discipline even more than the hundreds of millions of dollars in funding.

When electronic computers caught on at the end of the Second World War an industry needed to grow up around them to support their rapid development. There will certainly be a need for quantum algorithm creators who emigrate out of traditional computer science programs to explore this new and quite different form of programming, and there will be a need for engineers to design the complex systems needed to create stable superpositioned qubits at near absolute zero temperatures in environments screened from all interference. But there will also be places for human resources professionals, marketing types and other personnel who need a working understanding of quantum technologies in order to understand the business model and support the engineering needed to make it happen.

Pathways development in information and communications technologies are what I'm working in at the moment and ignoring quantum possibilities, especially with the resources being poured into it and the rapid improvement it has prompted would be short sighted. As I said to open, had I still been teaching in class I would be introducing my graduates to quantum computing so that they can consider it moving forward.

Being in a strategic position this year, I'm concerned with finding a way of introducing quantum opportunities to a wider range of students. Business students need to understand what fundamentals quantum requires in order to keep the lights on. Communications students need to wrap their heads around the tech, at least enough to be able to be able to create accurate outreach for it, and educators need to be aware of it because it's a multi-billion dollar industry that's about to get even bigger.

To that end, here are some quantum learning opportunities. Keep this on your radar! Your students will appreciate the heads-up.

Quantum learning resources for your classroom:

Jan, 2023: GOVERNMENT OF CANADA REVEALS PLANS FOR $360 MILLION NATIONAL QUANTUM STRATEGY

Jan, 2023: MIT: What’s next for quantum computing

Time: https://time.com/6249784/quantum-computing-revolution/

2020: Business: What quantum computing could mean for customer experience

2020: Quantum computing and quantum supremacy, explained

What a quantum computer is and online mini-games that help explain it: http://quantum-hub.herokuapp.com

An open source quantum programming online learning opportunity: https://qiskit.org/ Coding in quantum looks more like circuit design than what people traditionally think of programming.

Canada’s National Quantum Strategy: https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/national-quantum-strategy/en/canadas-national-quantum-strategy

9 Industries at Risk from Y2Q: https://www.spiceworks.com/it-security/security-general/guest-article/post-quantum-cryptography-nine-industries-at-risk-from-y2q/

2022 Summer, Quantum Progress: https://er.educause.edu/articles/2022/7/quantum-computing-current-progress-and-future-directions

Digital Supercluster Quantum K-12 Program: https://www.digitalsupercluster.ca/projects/diversifying-talent-in-quantum-computing/

UBC Quantum Resource Hub: http://quantum-hub.herokuapp.com/app/sudoku

DTQC: https://quantum-hub.herokuapp.com/ Quantum resource hub

Quantum Arcade: https://quantum-hub.herokuapp.com/arcade

Quantum Playground: https://www.quantumplayground.net/#/home

Quantum Examples (summer ’22): https://builtin.com/hardware/quantum-computing-applications

Quantum Computing & Sims for Energy Applications: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsengineeringau.1c00033

Time to take quantum-safe cryptography seriously: https://research.ibm.com/blog/quantum-safe-cryptography-for-industry Major implications for cybersecurity with quantum development.

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The STEM skills gap will be stretched wider if we don't start addressing emerging technologies such as quantum and artificial intelligence as well as catching up on other subjects:

Canada’s STEM student gap: https://www.itworldcanada.com/article/canada-faces-a-shortage-in-digital-and-stem-skills-says-c-d-howe-institute-report/499628

Why Canadian Education is so Reluctant to Engage with Digital Literacy

https://troymedia.com/education/canada-faces-a-serious-shortage-of-stem-skills/

https://c2cjournal.ca/2022/11/canadas-stem-education-gap-the-need-for-more-science-based-professionals/

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