Friday, January 29, 2010

Quantum information graduate program at Waterloo

I am writing to inform you of a new collaborative graduate program in quantum information at the University of Waterloo, in conjunction with the Institute for Quantum Computing, the Departments of Applied Mathematics, Chemistry, Combinatorics & Optimization, Electrical & Computer Engineering, and Physics & Astronomy, and the David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science.

 

We would appreciate your help in spreading the word about this new program and about graduate research at IQC in general. More information about the program and how to apply is available at www.iqc.ca/positions/graduate/ and general information about IQC is available at www.iqc.ca .

 

The Ontario Council on Graduate Studies (OCGS) recently approved this new program, and we are ready to process applications for entry in Fall 2010.

 

Thank you in advance for sharing this news with students who may be interested.

 

Best regards,

 

Michele Mosca

Deputy Director, Institute for Quantum Computing, University of Waterloo

Director, Quantum Information Graduate Program, University of Waterloo

 

About the Program

 

The University of Waterloo, in collaboration with the Institute for Quantum Computing, offers graduate students unique opportunities to learn about and engage in world-leading research in quantum information through a wide range of advanced research projects and advanced courses on the foundations, applications and implementations of quantum information processing.

 

The new collaborative graduate program in Quantum Information leads to MMath, MSc, MASc, and PhD degrees. Students complete the requirements of both their home program and the specific requirements of the quantum information (QI) program to achieve the special QI designation. (E.g., MMath in Computer Science (Quantum Information), PhD in Chemistry (Quantum Information), MASc in Electrical and Computer Engineering (Quantum Information)).

 

MMath, MSc, and MASc students will receive a strong and broad foundation in quantum information science, coupled with knowledge and expertise from their home program. This will prepare them for the workforce or further graduate studies and research leading towards a PhD.

 

PhD students will be prepared for careers as scholars and researchers, with advanced expertise in quantum information science, along with the focus of their home program. The new program is designed to provide knowledge of quantum information, including theory and implementations, their home program discipline, and also developed advanced expertise in their particular research area within quantum information.

 

At present, IQC has a critical mass of expertise in several major research areas within quantum information, including:

Quantum Algorithms and Complexity

Quantum Information and Communication

Quantum Cryptography

Quantum Error Correction and Fault-tolerance

Spin-based implementations

Quantum Optics-based implementations

Nanoelectronics-based implementations.

 

New State-of-the-Art Building

 

In line with the expansion goals of the Institute for Quantum Computing, a new, state-of-the-art building for the Institute is on the way, as part of the Mike and Ophelia Lazaridis Quantum-Nano Centre (QNC). The building will contain a new fabrication and metrology facility, and a suite of laboratories for research in areas including quantum optics, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and electron spin resonance (ESR), quantum dots, superconducting qubits, coherent spintronics and quantum cryptography. The building will host IQC researchers from all three faculties (Engineering, Mathematics and Science) starting in 2011, and will have formal and informal meeting spaces designed to facilitate interaction and interdisciplinary research.

 

 

Courses

Students in all three faculties will be required to take two core quantum information courses (and must also meet the course requirements of their home program). These interdisciplinary courses provide a strong foundation in quantum information science.

 

The two required core quantum information courses are:

 

QIC 710: Quantum Information Processing

QIC 750: Implementation of Quantum Information Processing

 

PhD students are also required to take two additional courses in quantum information, and fulfill a research seminar requirement, a comprehensive exam and a thesis in quantum information

 

In addition to the two core courses, students will be able to take a wide range of advanced courses within quantum information, offered by leading researchers in the field.

 

Eligible supervisors include the core IQC faculty:

 

Jonathan Baugh

Andrew Childs

Richard Cleve

Joseph Emerson

Thomas Jennewein

Raymond Laflamme

Debbie Leung

Adrian Lupascu

Norbert LΓΌtkenhaus

Hamed Majedi

Michele Mosca

Ashwin Nayak

Ben Reichardt

Kevin Resch

John Watrous

Frank Wilhelm

 

as well as a wide range of Associate and Affiliate Members of IQC and the University of Waterloo, including:

 

Daniel Gottesman

Thorsten Hesjedal

Achim Kempf

David Kribs

Jan Kycia

Anthony Leggett

Robert Mann

James Martin

Roger Melko

Bill Power

Pierre-Nicholas Roy

 

Contact Information:

 

Inquiries can be directed to Michele Mosca, Program Director at grad@iqc.ca .