Teaching quantum computing

Abstract

There is little information on how best to educate students on quantum computing. There will very soon be an urgent need for pedagogically sound quantum computing instruction. Hundreds of millions of dollars are being invested in quantum computers. To innovate, develop, operate and maintain these, quantum computers takes a workforce that understands what is happening and what the objectives are. In an effort to achieve new capabilities with quantum computing, intense efforts are underway where additional subject matter experts are added to the team to solve a challenge. For example, microwave engineers are added to the quantum computing team, or software engineers, or computer programmers, electrical engineers, computer engineers, and heating and cooling engineers. Where are they getting their quick and intense training to introduce them to the team? On site, presumably. Who is training and teaching them? The hard pressed researchers, never trained in the best way to teach, themselves, now taken away from their priority time to familiarize the newcomers? We are two PhD Computer Science candidates, experiencing the learning of quantum computing for the first time, and we wish to share our experiences and best discoveries to help others shorten their time to understanding. It is our belief that the best educational level to target is at the honors level high school (junior or senior), as this would insure universal understanding by all likely professionals needing to learn quantum computing in an intense foundation course. It also could be used to teach high school students, as their generation will benefit from the capabilities of quantum computing.