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Work‐in‐Progress: Undergraduate Courses in Quantum Computing: A Proposal based on our Experience Building a Python-based Quantum Computer Simulator

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Conference

2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

Minneapolis, MN

Publication Date

August 23, 2022

Start Date

June 26, 2022

End Date

June 29, 2022

Conference Session

Computers in Education 9 - Technology I

Page Count

13

DOI

10.18260/1-2--40691

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/40691

Download Count

375

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Paper Authors

biography

David Hoe Loyola University Maryland

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Dr. Hoe completed his undergraduate and graduate studies at the University of Toronto in electrical engineering. Prior to his current position as an Associate Professor at Loyola University Maryland, he worked at GE Research in Niskayuna, NY and was an Assistant Professor at the University of Texas at Tyler. His research interests include high performance computing using FPGAs, quantum computing, and engineering education.

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biography

Dave Binkley Loyola University Maryland

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Dave Binkley is a Professor of Computer Science at Loyola University Maryland where he has worked since earning his doctorate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1991. He has been a visiting faculty researcher at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), worked with Grammatech Inc. on CodeSurfer development, was a member of the Crest Centre at Kings' College London, and a Fulbright scholar working with the researchers at Simula Research, Oslo Norway. Dr. Binkley's current research interests include tools and techniques to help software engineers understand and improve their code.

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Mary Lowe Loyola University Maryland

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Abstract

There is a growing need for scientists and engineers with Quantum Information Science and Technology (QIST) skills. To address this need for ‘quantum aware’ graduates we describe a two course sequence in quantum computing suitable for undergraduate students studying electrical engineering, physics, and computer science. Our approach is unique in that it aims to take full advantage of the diverse backgrounds of second and third year undergraduate students from these three STEM disciplines. Students will work in interdisciplinary teams to (1) understand the physics and the computational theory relevant to quantum computing, (2) develop computer code that simulates a quantum computer, (3) understand the relevance and importance of existing quantum computing algorithms, and (4) appreciate the need for future research in quantum computing. Our approach is informed in part by our experience working with a pair of undergraduate students this past summer on the development of a Python-based quantum computer simulator. This experience showed that building a simulator was an effective way to teach the theory underlying quantum computing. Building a simulator also provides an excellent foundation upon which to explore student-accessible research projects in quantum computing, which is a high-impact educational practice.

Hoe, D., & Binkley, D., & Lowe, M. (2022, August), Work‐in‐Progress: Undergraduate Courses in Quantum Computing: A Proposal based on our Experience Building a Python-based Quantum Computer Simulator Paper presented at 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Minneapolis, MN. 10.18260/1-2--40691

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