Each summer, CQIQC welcomes undergraduate students to join its research groups. For many, this opportunity to learn directly from faculty and graduate students is their first real immersion in academic research, while contributing to projects at the cutting edge of quantum science and engineering.
Through the CQIQC Undergraduate Summer Research Program, participants receive $10,000 to spend four months fully dedicated to research. In 2025, seven students were selected for this competitive award. Their work ranged from entangled photons and graphene to nonlinear optics, quantum chemistry algorithms, and new Hamiltonian methods.
For Jeffrey Li (Engineering Physics, AI minor – Li Qian Group), the summer was both a technical and personal milestone. Inspired by Vivek Dande, a fellow student who had previously held the fellowship, he joined Professor Li Qian’s group to explore new ways to generate entangled photons. “My project focused on designing a non-degenerate entangled photon pair source,” he explains. “Unlike conventional bulk-crystal designs, which are bulky and highly sensitive to mechanical noise, our approach used a fiber-based source that is both portable and robust.”
Working hands-on in the lab, Jeffrey designed a system to verify the generation of photon pairs and programmed data-processing tools in MATLAB and Python. But what stayed with him most was the learning process itself: “The biggest takeaway was exposure to how people prepare quantum states for photonic quantum computing. It’s an early but essential step for building quantum hardware, and the techniques I learned will stay with me for my future research.”
In another corner of campus, Andrea Barbieri (Physics Specialist, Math Minor – Sergio de la Barrera Group) studied how layers of graphene arrange themselves, and the research he was part of will enable researchers to explore exotic phases of matter in graphene at low temperatures and high magnetic fields. “When three or more layers of graphene are stacked on top of one another, there are multiple ways the layers can arrange themselves,” Andrea explains. “Using an atomic force microscope, I was able to distinguish between stacking orders by measuring the surface potential of a given graphene flake.”
For Andrea, science was exciting, but so was the spirit of collaboration in the lab. “The aspect I enjoyed most was being part of a team working toward uncovering new physics and having a great time doing so! Whether discussing a paper, fixing something in the lab, or talking about the weekend, conversation was always enjoyable.”
Jenny Moore (Physics and Computer Science Major, Math Minor – Arno Jacobsen Group) was part of the project “Scaling the Local Unitary Cluster Jastrow Ansatz with Distributed Quantum Computing.”
“In this research project I explored how to improve the scalability of quantum chemistry algorithms using distributed quantum computing,” she says. “Our goal was to more efficiently use current quantum processors to perform ground-state energy calculations on systems larger than previously feasible.” The experience connected Jenny to her first research group, and to a new sense of confidence in her career path. “This award not only deepened my understanding of the project I worked on, but also helped me develop valuable technical and professional skills. Through this experience, I became familiar with working in a research environment and built meaningful connections with both colleagues and industry professionals. These experiences have prepared me to apply my knowledge across a variety of fields in science and engineering.”
For Stuart Williamson (Astronomy and Physics Specialist, Math Major – Artur Izmaylov Group), curiosity was the starting point: “I recognized that [the program] was an opportunity to learn about quantum computing, which always intrigued me but never presented the opportunity for me to study,” he recalls. “I decided that I should apply to dip my feet into the world of quantum computing to see if it’s something I want to pursue further, since it seems like it will be increasingly important in the future.”
Berjer Ding (Mathematics and Physics Specialist, Statistics Minor – Amr Helmy Group) worked on a project that, as he puts it, “can heuristically be described as ‘using nonlinear techniques to engineer the linear property of light.’ The substance of this was utilizing the physics of nonlinear frequency conversion from nonlinear optics to engineer optical/photonic devices.” He explains that his part was to numerically model the transmission spectrum of a monochromatic beam of light through a ‘chirped-poling’ nonlinear crystal and attempt to design a tunable optical filter by extending the model with theory. To achieve that, Berjer had to familiarize himself with the field and gain experience in the lab.
For Berjer, the lab work was just one part of the experience. Equally meaningful were the seminars, workshops, and cross-institutional events that connected him to a larger network of quantum researchers. “I saw frontier research in essentially every field of quantum information or control, from theoretical quantum computing to integrated photonic chip fabrication,” he says. “The bird’s-eye view of the work that I saw at CQIQC helped me not get lost in the minutiae and reminded me that I’m part of a community of likeminded people doing interconnected research.”
Also, part of this year’s cohort were Grace Simmons and William Zheng (both working as part of the Amar Vutha Group).
Together, these students represent the creativity, curiosity, and dedication that drive the CQIQC community. Their projects reflect the diversity of approaches that make quantum science such a dynamic field —from designing new optical systems and materials to developing algorithms and tools in quantum computing.