Advancing Quantum Sensing and Metrology Education: Concepts, Curricula, and Research on Student Learning

This project aims to serve the national interest by improving the teaching and learning of topics in Quantum Information Science (QIS), a growing interdisciplinary area that is important to the U.S. economy and national security. The project will focus on quantum sensing and metrology (measurement). The National Quantum Initiative Act (2018) established quantum technology as a national priority. Quantum systems and their unique behaviors will lead to significant improvements in computing, communication, and sensing. To realize the full potential of these technologies and maintain leadership in the area, the United States needs educational resources that prepare students in STEM fields to develop, manufacture, and apply these technologies. Of the three quantum application areas (computing, communication/networking, and sensing), quantum sensing has received the least attention within curriculum development, partly because sensors represent a more diverse range of physical systems and applications. This project will attempt to fill this gap in the curriculum. The investigators will pursue three goals: (1) Define major ideas and learning outcomes for quantum sensing and metrology through interviews with experts. (2) Develop flexible and adaptable curricular materials (e.g., lesson plans, active-learning tutorials, clicker questions, and homework problems) that are aligned with the learning outcomes and tested across several institutions. (3) Conduct foundational research on students' learning to discover common difficulties and discover how learners from different STEM fields can most effectively use their prior knowledge when learning about quantum sensing. The education research questions encompass both fundamental ideas (e.g., How do experts define the core ideas and models for sensing?) and more applied topics (e.g., What productive ideas can students build on and what learning difficulties do they face as they learn quantum sensing?). Products of the project will include a set of core ideas and learning outcomes for quantum measurement and sensing; a set of flexible and adaptable curricular materials that can be applied in interdisciplinary QIS courses, engineering courses on sensing, and physics courses on quantum mechanics; and publications for quantum educators and education researchers about students' learning of quantum sensing. The NSF IUSE: EDU program supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students. Through its Engaged Student Learning track, the program supports the creation, exploration, and implementation of promising practices and tools. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.