QITS (Quantum in the Summer) 2023 welcomed A-level students to QET Labs at the University of Bristol for a week of theoretical and experimental sessions, all related to the field of quantum technology. The programme covered a wide range of topics, from principles such as superposition and entanglement right through to the applications of quantum technology in computing and metrology. Through lectures, games, team puzzles and solving problems, we were impressed with how quickly the students grasped the concepts and demonstrated their knowledge through asking lots of excellent questions!
The lab sessions provided an excellent opportunity for the students to get hands-on experience with different optical components. The week featured a variety of experiments, including building a quantum eraser and learning about bulk optics through laser alignment experiments (including our 'optical microphone' experiment). They also learned some basic quantum programming using Qiskit in the computer labs, culminating in programming a circuit to implement the Deutsch-Josza algorithm. The students were given lab tours showcasing the range of research going on within QET Labs and took part in demonstrations where they could investigate photonic chips through a microscope.
The final session of the week was a careers panel, discussing different possible careers following a Physics degree. The panel consisted of Prof Jennifer McManus (University of Bristol), Will Foxall (Films at 59), Dr Kowsar Shahbazi (Oxford Quantum Circuits), and previous QITS organiser Dr Brian Flynn (Phasecraft). Students were able to ask questions about the panellists' career trajectory, life goals, experience of life in industry and academia, and experience of their degrees and higher education.
In the evening students attended social activities (paid for by the summer school) including bowling, a boat tour, an escape room, and a trip to a board game cafe. This allowed the students to get to know one another outside of the lectures and academic sessions, with one student commenting on how quickly they’d been able to make friends at QITS.
We are grateful for the funding that allowed us to make this such a positive experience for students, including sponsorship from QET Labs, The Ogden Trust, the Quantum Computing and Simulation Hub, the IOP Computational Physics Group and Entropy Journal.
In a brief interview with one of the students, we asked about what they’d learnt about quantum technologies over the week, to which they responded:
“I didn't understand how broad quantum was... At school you learn quantum is just all photons and the photoelectric effect. But then you learn that you canactually use it in circuits and quantum computers and encryption – I would have never imagined that you could use quantum for encryption. I thought quantum was a very theoretical level of physics, rather than something we can physically use.”
We hope that we've helped inspire a new generation of quantum physicists!
QITS 2023 was organised by Quantum Engineering CDT students Aliki Capatos, Chris Corlett, Taryn Stefanski and Zulekha Samiullah, PhD student Imogen Forbes and supported by QET Labs Research Administrator Holly Caskie. In addition, over 20 PhD students, postdocs, members of technical staff, academics and industry representatives volunteered to run sessions and organise experiments. An enormous thank you to all involved for helping to make the summer school such a success!