Ä¢¹½Ó°Òô the Quantum Scholars Program
The Quantum Scholars Program connects Ä¢¹½Ó°Òô Boulder undergraduates with the people, ideas, and opportunities shaping the future of quantum science and technology. Through education, professional development, industry engagement, and scholarships, it prepares students to become future scientists, engineers, innovators, and leaders in the field.
The Quantum Scholars Program is a partnership between Ä¢¹½Ó°Òô Boulder’s Department of Physics in the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Engineering and Applied Science. Founded in fall 2022, it brings together undergraduates from physics and engineering who share an interest in the rapidly developing fields of quantum science and technology.
The goal of the program is to broaden and advance quantum education and workforce development at Ä¢¹½Ó°Òô Boulder while expanding the community of students engaged with the field. Building on Ä¢¹½Ó°Òô Boulder’s world-class strengths in quantum science, engineering, and technology, the program creates a community in which students can explore the field, develop professionally, engage with researchers and industry leaders, and prepare to shape its future.
Connecting Education with the Quantum World
Formal coursework provides the scientific and technical foundations for quantum-related fields. The Quantum Scholars Program complements that education by helping students understand the broader quantum landscape: the scientific and technological challenges, career paths, and growing ecosystem of universities, national laboratories, startups, and established companies advancing quantum technology.
Through co-curricular activities, Quantum Scholars interact directly with Ä¢¹½Ó°Òô faculty, scientists and engineers from national laboratories, industry researchers and executives, and other leaders in the quantum community. These interactions connect classroom learning with emerging research, technologies, and careers.
A Community for Professional Development
Professional development and community building are central to the program. Quantum Scholars meet regularly throughout the academic year for presentations, discussions, workshops, laboratory and company visits, and other activities that expose them to the breadth of the quantum field.
Students also take an active role in building the Quantum Scholars community through the Women of Quantum group, programs organized by the student Executive Board, social events, and team-oriented activities such as the Quantum Hackathon.
Signature activities include fall and spring Student Research Expos, the annual Physics and Quantum Career Fair, visits to university and national laboratories and local quantum companies, and opportunities to participate in major events such as the AI+ Expo hosted by the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP).
Scholarships and Student Opportunity
Scholarships help attract talented students to physics and engineering, support their continued education at Ä¢¹½Ó°Òô Boulder, and enable them to pursue opportunities in quantum science and technology without taking on additional financial burdens.
The scholarships awarded through the Quantum Scholars Program are made possible entirely by the generosity of donors. Their support is central to the program’s success, enabling students to pursue their interests in quantum science and technology while helping Ä¢¹½Ó°Òô Boulder prepare the next generation of leaders in the field.
Demand for the program has grown rapidly, and student interest substantially exceeds available scholarship resources. Expanding scholarship support is therefore essential to broadening participation in quantum education and helping talented students remain engaged in the field.
A Community Across Physics and Engineering
The Quantum Scholars community reflects the interdisciplinary character of quantum science and technology. Scholars come from both the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Engineering and Applied Science and pursue degrees across a wide range of fields, including Physics, Engineering Physics, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Energy Engineering, and Computer Science.
What brings these students together is not a single major or career path, but a shared interest in the future of quantum science and technology. The Quantum Scholars Program gives them a community in which to explore that future—and the knowledge, connections, experiences, and support to help shape it.