Chandralekha Singh was interviewed for an article titled “The second quantum revolution needs reinforcements” by Photonics Media that was published in Photonics Spectra magazine (pages 34-41). The article is available at https://www.photonics.com/Articles/The_Second_Quantum_Revolution_Needs_Reinforcements/p5/vo211/i1361/a68163

Dr. Singh talked about the need to normalize the language used in quantum information science and technology which is a transdisciplinary field. She also talked about the Quantum Computing and Quantum Information Certificate that the University of Pittsburgh is launching this Fall semester for undergraduate students in the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, Swanson School of Engineering and School of Computing and Information. She also emphasized the need to create an inclusive and equitable learning environment stating, “This is a new field. Quantum brings together people from different engineering backgrounds, computer science, physics, chemistry, everything, right? We have the opportunity to create a new culture”. “This is a great time to make sure that we do not actually deprive ourselves of the talents of a large number of people that have been excluded,” Dr. Singh added. “If we start early on,” Dr. Singh said, “we will actually be able to get students from diverse backgrounds to get excited about these skills and to say, ‘Yes, I really want to be a leader in this area. I really want to make a difference in this area.’”

In addition to being a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Pitt, Dr. Singh is also Special Assistant to the Provost for Quantum Education at Pitt and the Director of the Discipline-based Science Education Research Center. She is a co-principal investigator of the National Q-12 Education Partnership program spearheaded in collaboration with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and the National Science Foundation. More information about this partnership can be found at https://q12education.org/