EPJ Quantum Technol. (2025) 12: 40
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjqt/s40507-025-00343-4

Research

Outcomes from a workshop on a national center for quantum education

¹ Department of Physics and Virginia Tech Center for Quantum Information Science and Engineering, Virginia Tech, 850 West Campus Drive, 24061, Blacksburg, VA, USA
² Q-SEnSE NSF QLCI, University of Colorado, 440 UCB, 80301, Boulder, CO, USA
³ Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Birck Nanotechnology Center and Purdue Quantum Science and Engineering Institute, Purdue University, 610 Purdue Mall, 47907, West Lafayette, IN, USA
⁴ Quantum Science Center, a National Quantum Information Science Research Center of the US Department of Energy, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Road, 37830, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
⁵ JILA, National Institute of Standards and Technology and the University of Colorado, 80309, Boulder, Colorado, USA
⁶ Department of Physics, University of Colorado, 390 UCB, 80309, Boulder, Colorado, USA
⁷ QuSTEAM, 510 Ronalds St., 52245, Iowa City, IA, USA
⁸ Quantum Engineering Program and Department of Physics, Colorado School of Mines, 1523 Illinois St., 80401, Golden, CO, USA
⁹ QuSTEAM, non-profit, Wilbur Wright College - City Colleges of Chicago, 4300 N Narragansett Ave, 60634, Chicago, IL, USA
¹⁰ Government and Community Relations Office - K-12 Programs, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA, USA
¹¹ Chicago Quantum Exchange, 5235 S. Harper Court, 60615, Chicago, IL, USA
¹² Department of Physics, Virginia Tech, 850 West Campus Drive, 24060, Blacksburg, VA, USA
¹³ Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Duke Quantum Center, Duke University, 130 Hudson Hall, 27708, Durham, NC, USA
¹⁴ American Physical Society, 555 12th St. NW, 20004, Washington, DC, USA
¹⁵ Computer Science, University of Chicago, 5730 S. Ellis Ave., 60637, Chicago, IL, USA
¹⁶ Department of Physics, Georgetown University, 552 Reiss Science Building, 20057, Washington, DC, USA
¹⁷ Chemistry, Physics and Engineering Studies, Chicago State University, 9501 S. King Drive, WSC 309, 60628, Chicago, IL, USA
¹⁸ Physics, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, 6560 Braddock Road, 22312, Alexandria, VA, USA
¹⁹ College of Education and Human Development, George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, 22030, Fairfax, VA, USA
²⁰ Department of Physics and Astronomy, Stony Brook University, 100 Nicolls Road, 11794-5233, Stony Brook, NY, USA
²¹ IBM Quantum, 1101 Kitchawan Rd, 10598, Yorktown Heights, NY, USA
²² College of Science, UTeach, University of Texas Arlington, 502 Yates St/SH 224, 76019, Arlington, TX, USA
²³ Quantum Leap Challenge Institute for Robust Quantum Simulation, University of Maryland, Stadium Drive, 20742, College Park, MD, USA
²⁴ Department of Applied Physics and Materials Science, Northern Arizona University, 527 S Beaver St, 86011, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
²⁵ Center for Materials Interfaces in Research and Applications, Northern Arizona University, 527 S Beaver St, 86011, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
²⁶ Department of Physics and Engineering Physics, Morgan State University, 1700 East Cold Spring Lane, Calloway Hall - G22, 21251, Baltimore, MD, USA
²⁷ The Coding School, 6940 Laurel Canyon Blvd, 91604, Los Angeles, CA, USA
²⁸ Department of Physics, California State University San Marcos, 333 S. Twin Oaks Valley Rd, 92069, San Marcos, CA, USA
²⁹ Laboratory for Physical Sciences, 8050 Greenmead Dr., 20740, College Park, MD, USA
³⁰ Department of Physics and Astronomy, George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, 22030, Fairfax, VA, USA
³¹ Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California Los Angeles, 475 Portola Plaza, 90095, Los Angeles, CA, USA
³² Chemistry, Learning Sciences Research Institute, University of Illinois Chicago, 845 W Taylor St., 60607, Chicago, IL, USA
³³ Department of Biology, North Carolina A and T State University, 1601 E Market St., 27411, Greensboro, NC, USA
³⁴ American Physical Society, One Physics Ellipse, 20740, College Park, MD, USA
³⁵ Quantinuum, 03 S Technology Court, 80021, Broomfield, CO, USA
³⁶ Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois Chicago, 851 S. Morgan St., 60607, Chicago, IL, USA
³⁷ Department of Physics, University of Pittsburgh, 100 Allen hall 3941 Ohara St., 15260, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
³⁸ Infleqtion, 1315 W Century Dr. 150, 80027, Louisville, CO, USA
³⁹ School of Physics and Astronomy, Rochester Institute of Technology, 84 Lomb Memorial Dr., 14623, Rochester, NY, USA

^a lewandoh@colorado.edu

Received: 30 October 2024
Accepted: 17 March 2025
Published online: 31 March 2025

Abstract

In response to numerous programs seeking to advance quantum education and workforce development in the United States, experts from academia, industry, government, and professional societies convened for a National Science Foundation-sponsored workshop in February 2024 to explore the benefits and challenges of establishing a national center for quantum education. Broadly, such a center would foster collaboration and build the infrastructure required to develop a diverse and quantum-ready workforce. The workshop discussions focused on how a center could uniquely address gaps in public, K-12, and undergraduate quantum information science and engineering (QISE) education. Specifically, the community identified activities that, through a center, could lead to an increase in student awareness of quantum careers, boost the number of educators trained in quantum-related subjects, strengthen pathways into quantum careers, enhance the understanding of the US quantum workforce, and elevate public engagement with QISE. Core proposed activities for the center include professional development for educators, coordinated curriculum development and curation, expanded access to educational laboratory equipment, robust evaluation and assessment practices, network building, and enhanced public engagement with quantum science.