Virtual
Program
Taught by
MIT PhDs
Live
Instruction
Grades 9-12+
Early College
About the Program
Want to develop in-depth, real world skills in quantum computing? Our Quantum Summer School is for you! This 4-week course provides an introduction to quantum computing. The aim is to expose students to this emerging field while providing them with real-world programming skills for quantum computers. Through daily lectures and labs, students learn about foundational concepts in quantum computation, including quantum mechanics, quantum computation and information, and quantum algorithms.
What students will learn
The field of quantum computing is interdisciplinary, combining math, physics, and computer science. Students will spend the first half of the course developing the necessary math and coding skills in the programming language Python. The second half of the course will focus on coding quantum circuits and quantum algorithms, leading to students coding on a real quantum computer.
Some of the topics covered include:
- Learn how to code in Python, a programming language, and how to use Python for quantum computing
- Develop foundational linear algebra knowledge, including vectors and matrices, and learn how these concepts relate to quantum
- Implement Python libraries to code quantum circuits and quantum algorithms, including Deutsch-Jozsa algorithm
- Learn more about the intersection of quantum and cyber security by carrying out a quantum cryptography protocol, quantum key distribution (QKD), in Python
- Run a Variational Quantum Eigensolver to simulate a molecule
Lead Instructors
Akshay Agarwal
Akshay graduated from MIT with his PhD in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Recently, he completed a postdoctoral research position in the Research Laboratory for Electronics at MIT. In his research, he applies principles of quantum mechanics to improve the efficiency of electron microscopy and make the technique applicable to live biological samples. Akshay obtained his PhD. He holds a B. Tech. and M. Tech. in Electrical Engineering from IIT Bombay in 2014. Outside of his research, Akshay enjoys teaching, writing, and playing the violin.
Sarah Goodman
Sarah received her BA in Chemistry from Rutgers University in 2014 and received her PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from MIT in 2020. During her PhD, she worked on improving the efficiency of LEDs as part of the Laboratory for Nanophotonics and Electronics, and improving the experience of graduate students as part of the MIT Graduate Student Council. Sarah's passion is for teaching, and she has worked with students from the preK-college level. In her free time, Sarah can be found singing, writing, and thinking about the interdisciplinary nature of quantum mechanics.
Logistics
Grades
Incoming 9th - 12th + early college students
Dates
July 12 - August 6, 2021
9am-1pm ET daily (Monday - Friday)
Cost
$1190
Thanks to our sponsor, IBM Quantum, full and partial scholarships are available for students with financial need or from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds.
Prerequisites
Foundational understanding of trigonometry (including sine and cosine), which is usually taught in high school geometry courses. No prior knowledge of quantum computing is required or expected.
Thanks to our sponsor, IBM Quantum, scholarships are available for students with financial need or from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds.
