RQS Summer School Prepares Next Generation of Quantum Researchers
March 14, 2025
RQS Student-Postdoc Council member Cheng-Ju Lin introduces lecturer Steve White (University of California, Irvine) at the 2024 Summer School in Kingston, Rhode Island.
As quantum simulation advances rapidly, it presents both exciting opportunities and complex challenges for researchers. To help the next generation stay ahead, the NSF Quantum Leap Challenge Institute for Robust Quantum Simulation (RQS) annually funds an immersive summer program for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars, preparing them for the evolving field.
The 3rd RQS Summer School, held at the University of Rhode Island from August 9–11, brought together approximately 100 early-career researchers from around the world to explore both theoretical and experimental aspects of quantum simulation.
Co-located with QSim24, an international conference dedicated to the field, the event provided participants a unique opportunity to bridge cutting-edge research with hands-on learning. With a dynamic mix of foundational lectures, advanced talks, and interactive sessions, the program fostered cross-disciplinary collaboration and facilitated discussions across theory, practice and the latest advancements.
Organized by the RQS Student-Postdoc Council, which represents all five of the RQS universities, focused on providing an experience that encouraged growth and broadened perspectives for attendees.
“We aimed to create an environment where students could step outside their usual areas of expertise,” says Mingyu Kang, a fifth-year physics Ph.D. student at Duke University and a member of the council, which is responsible for managing multiple programs to progress student and postdoc research and career development. “Our goal was to prepare researchers for the rapidly changing landscape of quantum simulation by encouraging them to engage with both theoretical and experimental topics and challenge themselves with new ideas.”
The success of this year’s summer school was informed by feedback from the 2023 event, which highlighted participants’ desire for a more interactive, problem-focused learning experience with a greater emphasis on conversation and connection. In response, the program incorporated many whiteboard-style lectures and ample time for question-and-answer sessions, allowing attendees to engage more directly with both the material and speakers.
Andrew Daley, a professor of quantum physics at Oxford University and lecturer at the RQS Summer School, emphasized the institute’s success at supporting students to break perceived barriers (which he notes shouldn’t be there to begin with), by providing them with an opportunity to approach senior researchers with their questions and ideas.
With the goal of further lowering barriers and making a first-class quantum education more accessible to a diverse pool of researchers, RQS also provided financial support to cover travel expenses for students in need to attend the summer school.
Di Fang, an assistant professor of mathematics at Duke University who lectured on quantum algorithms, highlighted the value of the event’s collaborative environment.
“It was a great opportunity for students to learn not just from the lectures, but also from their interactions with each other,” she says. “The blend of theoretical and experimental perspectives made for truly engaging discussions.”
The summer school also promoted connections across career stages, with participants ranging from advanced undergraduates to faculty members. This diversity helped foster networking, collaboration, and the exchange of ideas.
“The networking opportunities were invaluable,” Kang says. “Feedback indicated that many left with ideas for new research directions and potential collaborators—exactly what we aimed to achieve.”
Growing and evolving in tandem with each year’s changing research environment, the RQS summer school aims to continue to be a place where students can come together to learn new things, connect with new people, and discover new possibilities for their own research. Registration is open now for the next RQS summer school, which will be held in New York City from Friday, August 1 to Sunday August 3, 2025 and will be focused on quantum error correction for creating verified and scalable quantum simulations.
