On Feb. 12, UCLA announced the formation of the SoCal Quantum Alliance, or SQA, aiming to connect students in various fields to internship and applied research opportunities.
The SQA, according to its website, brings together “world-class institutions, industry, and labs across Southern California to accelerate quantum discovery and application.” The alliance is spearheaded by UCLA through its Center for Quantum Science and Engineering, or CQSE, and other initiatives.
In addition to UCLA, some major organizations in the SQA include Caltech, USC, UC San Diego, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, IBM and Boeing. With major organizations from academia and industry working together, Southern California has the potential to transform into a center for quantum innovation.
The concept of “quantum” may sound intimidating for undergraduate students. David Steuerman, Executive Director of the CQSE, told BruinLife he wants to make the concept feel “real and accessible” to undergraduate students.
Steuerman said the SQA is intended to help bridge undergraduate students to opportunities where they can apply the knowledge they learned in their coursework.
“We are connecting UCLA more deliberately with companies and startups across Southern California,” Steuerman said. “That means more internship placements, more research assistant positions tied to industry collaboration and more exposure to real-world technical problems while students are still undergraduates.”
Daniel Empleo, a first-year engineering student, said the SQA “seems exciting and promising.” Although he is unsure of the immediate benefit, he believes the initiative will influence his future success.
Steuerman added that “you do not have to be a physicist to be part of the quantum future. Quantum and related technologies sit at the intersection of physics, engineering, computer science, materials science, mathematics, chemistry and increasingly business and policy.”
The Quantum Computing Student Association, or QCSA, is an organization at UCLA that helps expose undergraduate students of any major to quantum-related fields through speaker events and workshops. The board consists of students majoring in various fields besides physics, such as bioengineering and computer science.
Steuerman said a long-term goal of the SQA is for UCLA students to be able to “build world-class careers without leaving Southern California.” He emphasized that the initiative is still taking shape so it is important for students to engage early.
“If you are curious, raise your hand. The ecosystem is being built now.”
