QuESTs (Quantum Engineering and Science Teams) are CQN’s main mechanism to drive cross-institutional collaboration for non-research related topics. These QuESTs span a wide range of CQN’s non-research efforts and promote transdisciplinary and cross-institutional collaboration of CQN members at all career stages.
The QuEST program of CQN is intended to create a sense of inclusion and belonging among CQN members by:
•Having a focus on culture and development in CQN, not on research.
•Creating teams of CQN members who would not have opportunities to work together otherwise.
•Teaming up students with staff, PIs, senior researchers, and industry partners.
•Bringing together CQN members across campuses, industries, and labs.
In 2024, we continue to improve on two QuEST programs:
Student Leadership Council (SLC)-sponsored Annual Student Retreat, which we are shifting to the Spring in 2025
Annual Winter School, which is taught virtually to quantum-curious people all over the world by pairs of CQN faculty/postdocs and students.
Introducing our new QuESTs in 2024:
CQN Mentorship Program
- Inaugurated in April 2024
- Mentors from 3 NSF entities: CQN, NoirLab, CUA–faculty, senior researchers, postdocs, and grad students
- Mentees from Quantum Que and REU, undergraduates and graduates
CQN Global Quantum Discussion Group
- Inaugurated in April 2024
- Inaugural group= faculty, grad students, and undergraduate REU students
- Global subjects of discussion decided on by the group
- The Global Quantum Discussion group meets the third Friday of every month.