Planning Committee
David Awschalom
Liew Family Professor in Spintronics and Quantum Information in the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering at the University of Chicago; and senior scientist and quantum group leader at Argonne National Laboratory
David Awschalom is also a professor of Physics and director of the Chicago Quantum Exchange. His research in quantum spintronics involves understanding and controlling the spins of electrons, ions, and nuclei for fundamental studies of quantum systems, as well as potential applications in computing, imaging, and encryption.
Visit: pme.uchicago.edu/faculty/david-awschalom
Contact: awsch@uchicago.edu
Russell Ceballos
Quantum Education Program Administrator, Chicago Quantum Exchange, University of Chicago
Russell R. Ceballos is a quantum information theorist with a background in open quantum systems and quantum biophysics, with a deep interest in the foundations of quantum theory and how to best teach the fundamental principles of quantum information science. Dr. Ceballos has extensive experience in developing, as well as implementing, course content and curricular components that serve as a platform for the broadening participation and inclusivity of students from historically underserved and underrepresented communities.
Visit: quantum.uchicago.edu/team
Contact: rceballo@uchicago.edu
Andrew Heckler
Professor of Physics at The Ohio State University
Prof. Heckler is a professor of physics in the sub-field of Physics Education Research. He studies student difficulties with learning physics at the undergraduate and graduate level, and has engaged in several successful projects iteratively designing and assessing in-class instructional materials and an online learning application.
Visit: asc.ohio-state.edu/heckler.6
Contact: heckler.6@osu.edu
Ezekiel Johnston-Halperin
Professor in the Department of Physics at The Ohio State University
Ezekiel Johnston-Halperin is the Director of the QuSTEAM leadership team. His research focuses on the coherent and quantum properties of spin and magnetic excitations with applications in quantum information including the creation of hybrid quantum systems and quantum transduction.
Visit: physics.osu.edu/people/johnston-halperin.1
Contact: johnston-halperin.1@osu.edu
Angela K. Wilson
John A. Hannah Distinguished Professor of Chemistry at Michigan State University (MSU); Director, MSU Center for Quantum Computing, Science, and Engineering; Associate Dean for Strategic Initiative, MSU College of Natural Sciences
For QuSTEAM, Angela is a subject expert in chemistry and is part of the QuSTEAM leadership team. Her QIS-related research includes quantum dynamics of spin transitions and modeling of quantum coherence. She has worked extensively with students at all stages in quantum research, including more than 100 high school and undergraduate students.
Visit: https://www2.chemistry.msu.edu/faculty/wilson/people/akwilson.htm
Contact: akwilson@msu.edu
Subject Matter Experts
Yuri Alexeev
Principal Project Specialist at Argonne National Laboratory
Dr. Yuri Alexeev is a Principal Project Specialist at the Argonne National Laboratory, a Senior Scientist at the University of Chicago, and a Principal Investigator in the national quantum center Q-NEXT. His research involves the development of quantum computing algorithms and numerical simulators of quantum systems using high-performance computing on next-generation high-performance supercomputers.
Visit: anl.gov/profile/yuri-alexeev
Contact: yuri@alcf.anl.gov
Hannes Bernien
Assistant Professor in the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering at the University of Chicago
Hannes Bernien is a subject matter expert in quantum information science. He is particularly passionate about including quantum experiments in undergraduate education.
Visit: bernienlab.com
Contact: bernien@uchicago.edu
Eric Chitambar
Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Eric Chitambar is a researcher in quantum information theory and interested in quantum education. He has developed a senior-level course on quantum communication and teaches it regularly in the Electrical and Computer Engineering department at UIUC.
Contact: echitamb@illinois.edu
Giulia Galli
Liew Family Professor of Molecular Engineering and Professor of Chemistry at the University of Chicago
Giulia Galli’s group develops theoretical and computational methods to predict and engineer material and molecular properties from first principles, based on quantum mechanical calculations. In particular the group research activity is focused on problems relevant to quantum technologies, including the search for optimal materials for the realization of qubits in solid-state environments.
Visit: galligroup.uchicago.edu
Contact: gagalli@uchicago.edu
Nancy Kawalek
Professor and Distinguished Fellow in the Arts, Sciences and Technology at the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, the University of Chicago
Nancy Kawalek is a Professor and Distinguished Fellow in the Arts, Sciences and Technology at the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (PME) at the University of Chicago, where she runs the STAGE Lab. STAGE — Scientists, Technologists and Artists Generating Exploration — is a full-scale laboratory embedded within the PME devoted to collaborations among scientists and artists. The STAGE Lab's distinct research focuses on creating and developing new theatre and film work inspired by science and technology. Rather than science lectures disguised as plays, these are emotionally engaging, entertaining stories, designed to capture the public's attention and promote understanding of the sciences in the public arena.
Visit: stage.pme.uchicago.edu
Contact: kawalek@uchicago.edu
Kohei Kishida
Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Kohei Kishida is a logician and applied category theorist. He works on foundations of quantum physics and computing, and their applications to topics such as quantum programming languages.
Visit: philosophy.illinois.edu/directory/profile/kkishida
Contact: kkishida@illinois.edu
Pietro Veronesi
Deputy Dean for Faculty and Chicago Board of Trade Professor of Finance at the University of Chicago, Booth School of Business
Pietro Veronesi is a financial economist with research interests in technological revolutions, inequality, and diversity. He brings the perspectives of social sciences to the project, including potential applications to, and possible disruptions of economics and financial systems. Veronesi is engaged in multiple activities to foster a talented, diverse, and inclusive population in the social sciences.
Visit: chicagobooth.edu/faculty/directory/v/pietro-veronesi
Contact: pietro.veronesi@chicagobooth.edu
Discipline-based Education Researchers
Zahra Atiq
Assistant Professor of Practice of Computer Science and Engineering at The Ohio State University
I am working as a discipline-based education researcher on the QuSTEAM project. In this role, I have conducted focus groups with my fellow researchers for the purpose of needs finding. Based on the findings, I have also helped construct a survey for broader dissemination.
Visit: cse.osu.edu/people/atiq.2
Contact: atiq.2@osu.edu
Melanie Cooper
Lappan Phillips Professor in the Department of Chemistry at Michigan State University
Melanie Cooper is a professor of chemistry with research emphasis on the design, enactment and assessment of evidence based learning materials and environments. Her expertise in discipline based education research (DBER) will support the QuSTEAM curriculum development.
Visit: www2.chemistry.msu.edu/faculty/cooper/index.html
Contact: mmc@msu.edu
David Delaine
Assistant Professor in the Department of Engineering Education at The Ohio State University
Dr. David A. Delaine provides expertise in engineering education; educational research methods; diversity, equity and inclusion; and university-community partnership.
Visit: theicbllab.com
Contact: delaine.4@osu.edu
Emily Dringenberg
Assistant Professor in the Department of Engineering Education at The Ohio State University
Dr. Emily Dringenberg is an educational researcher with a background in engineering. Her team’s research focuses on using qualitative methods to study deeply-held beliefs in engineering (and STEM) spaces. Most relevant to the QuSTEAM project, she is currently the PI on an NSF-funded investigation of smartness as an inequitable cultural practice in undergraduate engineering education.
Visit: http://www.edringenberg.com/
Contact: dringenberg.1@osu.edu
Edward Fletcher
Distinguished Associate Professor in the College of Education and Human Ecology, and Senior Faculty Fellow in the Center on Education and Training for Employment at The Ohio State University
Edward C. Fletcher Jr. is an Education and Human Ecology Distinguished Associate Professor in the College of Education and Human Ecology's Workforce Development and Education program. In his research, he examines students' experiences and engagement in high school STEM academies as a strategy to promote broadening participation of diverse learners in the workforce development talent pipeline. Dr. Fletcher is a part of the discipline-based education research team helping to determine the curricular needs and consideration factors (from the perspectives of faculty, industry, students) for Quantum Information Science program development.
Visit: https://ehe.osu.edu/educational-studies/directory/?id=fletcher.158
Contact: fletcher.158@osu.edu
Christopher Porter
Senior Research Scientist in the Department of Physics at The Ohio State University
Dr. Porter completed his Ph. D. in condensed matter theory with a focus on systems relevant to quantum computation (Josephson junctions). He now focuses on physics education research, with an emphasis on quantum mechanics, and graduate education.
Contact: porter.284@osu.edu