A central goal of the proposed NRT program is to build and strengthen a vibrant interdisciplinary community focused around the theme of quantum assembly and technology. The organization and management of the program will be structured with this goal in mind. An executive committee consisting of all Co-PIs plus the program coordinator will be responsible for overall direction of activities. Since more than ten UC Santa Barbara faculty have research interests relevant to this proposal, key faculty participants beyond the Co-PIs will be consulted and involved, as will the trainees themselves. An external advisory committee composed of leaders from industry and academia will provide feedback on alignment of activities with program goals and suggestions for improvement or adaptation. Coordination meetings with campus leadership will maximize institutional buy-in.
Lead PI David Weld is an expert in quantum dynamics with a longstanding focus on training activities. He is the coordinator of mentor training for the Center for Science and Engineering Partnerships, the founding PI of the UCSB SACNAS Career Pathways Program which supports career preparation for URM STEM students, and the coordinator of graduate education for the NSF Quantum Foundry. Co-PIs are experts in a broad range of research areas, from trapped molecules to DNA nanoassembly to quantum optics to solid-state heterostructures. Co-PIs have equally wide-ranging expertise in graduate training, from development of new classes to direct mentoring to founding of new professional development and graduate exchange programs.
