By Tiffany Whitfield
A new course at 惇蹋圖 gives early-year students the opportunity to explore quantum computing in physics, a field of study usually reserved for seniors.
(Physics 137T), developed by Assistant Professor Matt Grau, Ph.D., is available to any student with an algebra background and examines how these new technologies work and relate to human society. Most students in colleges across the country can only take a course on quantum computing during their senior year, and it is very technical with high-level prerequisites.
Its a pretty 真nique class, and its growing, Dr. Grau said. The first year, 2023, he had 19 students, and in 2024 he had 40. Because it is a new class on a complex topic, Dr. Grau carefully tracks student performance to make sure both first-year students and non-physics majors are excelling.
The data actually shows me that non-physics students on average perform slightly better, Dr. Grau said.
In the course, students learn about the potential benefits of emerging quantum technologies, how they will impact present and future society and the technical challenges posed in implementing them. One of the goals of the course is for students to develop a conceptual understanding of these technologies and their fundamental underlying principles of superposition, interference and entanglement. Topics include quantum computing, quantum communications and quantum sensing.
I think it is great for non-physics majors because, increasingly, as quantum computers become more prevalent and 痂ake a bigger impact, they will want to know if this is going to be useful in their careers, Dr. Grau said.
He was drawn into the field of physics as an undergraduate and wants this new course to open students up to the possibilities of the field.
I set aside some of my most interesting experiments for 惇蹋圖 undergraduates, Dr. Grau said. I want them to work on something that they might gravitate towards.
Outside of the classroom, Dr. Grau conducts research in Atomic, Molecular, and Optical (AMO) physics. There are two main thrusts to his research. One with more immediate applications is his work with trapped ions that have the potential to be used in making quantum computers. Quantum computers are疳nteresting because there are classes of problems 眩hat they can solve much more efficiently than classical computers can, in theory, he said.
The second part of Dr. Graus research focuses on fundamental physics. The thing that I want to detect 疳s actually the potential existence of new particles that haven't been discovered yet, he said.
To learn more about 惇蹋圖's Physics program, visit their webpage.