Meet two alumni of our summer program, who live and study in two different parts of the world but share the same love for science.

The MCQST Summer Bachelor Program provides undergraduate students worldwide the opportunity to gain an insight into research in Quantum Science and Technology (QST) at MCQST and its participating institutes. Claire and Naqeeb were among the 16 international undergraduate students which were part of MCQST's Summer Bachelor Program in the summer of 2023. After an introductory week, they spent three weeks working on a project in one of the MCQST research groups. In this interview, the program alumni talk about their hands-on research experiences and their exploration of the Munich quantum ecosystem. They discuss how this program and meeting young quantum enthusiasts from all over the world made an impact on them.

Join them as they reflect on their journey!

Claire de Korte | Durham University, UK

Meet Claire de Korte, who worked on a research project in the group of Professor Fabian Grusdt.

What motivated you to apply for the summer school program?

I find summer internships to be a wonderful way to get practical research experience, learn skills that you won't get taught during your degree and find out whether or not you would like to pursue further research in the field that your summer internship is based in. The MCQST summer bachelor program is one such summer internship that has a focus on quantum science. Research in quantum science is cutting edge, exciting and has many real-world applications and so of course I wanted to apply!

What cultural experiences or insights did you gain during the program?

Being based in Munich, during the MCQST summer program I learnt a lot about Bavarian traditions and history. I also learnt a lot about German student culture. However I think that the cultural part of the MCQST program that will stay with me for the rest of my life is what I learnt about the cultures and lives of the other MCQST summer students! We were a very diverse group, coming from many different parts of the world which have differing social norms, political ideals, etc. Learning about the perspectives and experiences of the other students was extremely enlightening.

Could you share your experience with your project? What challenges did you encounter, and how did you overcome them?

I had a great time working on my project. I learnt a lot and ran into many hurdles that required creativity to overcome! For example, I had been working on some calculations for three weeks but some of my results just didn't seem to make sense physically. Then, the night before the final symposium (during which I would be presenting my results), I found out that right at the start of my calculations I had made a mistake. I missed out a Hermitian conjugate symbol when I copied out the states that I would be working with from my supervisor! At this point I had already sent my PowerPoint slides to the event organisers and had printed my poster and so unless I did something then and there I would be presenting incorrect information the next day! I spent the next couple of hours redoing many of the calculations, writing the final results out neatly on paper and then sticking them on top of the incorrect results that I had printed on the poster (thankfully I packed glue!). I had a lot of fun with this and took it as an opportunity to decorate my poster in some 'non-standard' ways using lots of coloured pencils. I couldn't change the PowerPoint slides as I had already sent them off so I decided to include my mistakes as part of the presentation. I explained why the Hermitian conjugate was needed and how the results were unphysical without it being there. Overall, despite being very stressed the night before, the symposium went by very well! The people who came to see the posters and listen to our talks appreciated my candidness. These kinds of things happen all the time in science! Mistakes are part of the human experience and it is through mistakes that we learn the most.

"We were a very diverse group, coming from many different parts of the world which have differing social norms, political ideals, etc. Learning about the perspectives and experiences of the other students was extremely enlightening."

Is there anything else you'd like to add for prospective participants? Can you share any tips for future participants on handling potential challenges?

Physics can be hard and that's okay! Sometimes you'll get stuck on something for a long time, sometimes you'll mess up and need to start over, sometimes there won't be a clear solution or direction to take, sometimes you need to try something strange and see if it works! A perspective that has helped me get through my degree is to realise that you don't need to take the 'standard path' to reach your goals. Throughout life you will run into hurdles that can be hard to overcome. For some people these hurdles are bigger than for others (e.g. chronic illness, disability, poverty, racism, sexism). Even if it takes longer than usual, or if you have to redo some exams, or if you have to explore completely new avenues - there is always a way to get where you want to be. Non-standard routes into science are just as valid as the 'traditional' ones. After all, for example, in the past women doing science was considered 'untraditional' - but they still did it, and made many important discoveries!

Naqeeb Ahmed | Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, New Delhi, India

Meet Naqeeb Ahmed, who conducted his hands-on research project in the group of Professor Christian Mendl.

What were the most memorable aspects or highlights of the program for you?

The most memorable aspect of the program for me was the mental health hike we went on, which not only allowed us to explore the beautiful surroundings but also played a crucial role in building friendships during the early days of the program. These hikes created a sense of camaraderie among us throughout the summer. Additionally, exploring quantum labs in different institutes was a real eye-opener, and I was particularly fond of the Quantum Information lecture by Prof. Barbara Kraus. The depth of knowledge and the passion with which it was delivered left a lasting impact on me.

How did you interact with fellow international participants and local mentors/students?

Interacting with fellow international participants and mentors was a real treat. We explored Munich and the surrounding areas during our free time. Weekends were full of adventures, from museum visits, hikes, and swimming to exploring beautiful places like Fortress Hohensalzburg in Salzburg. We even bonded over cooking dinners together, sharing our diverse cuisines, and sometimes going for walks at night. My local mentors were exceptionally friendly and always ready to assist with any questions or doubts I had.

Tell us about your work in the Mendl group?

My work in the Mendl group was a fascinating journey. I was focused on Riemannian quantum circuit optimization for Hamiltonian simulation. I used the JAX framework to streamline the algorithm, making the code more efficient and concise. The result was a significant speedup, with some functions running 9.3 times faster than before. It was a challenging but rewarding experience that taught me a great deal.

"Exploring quantum labs in different institutes was a real eye-opener, and I was particularly fond of the Quantum Information lecture by Prof. Barbara Kraus. The depth of knowledge and the passion with which it was delivered left a lasting impact on me."

Is there anything else you'd like to add for prospective participants? Can you share any tips for future participants on handling potential challenges?

To prospective participants, I would recommend embracing every opportunity for learning and exploration. Be open to building connections with fellow participants, and don't hesitate to ask questions and seek guidance from mentors. Challenges are a part of any journey, and it's essential to approach them with curiosity and determination. The Summer Bachelor Program is not only an academic experience but also a chance to build lifelong memories and friendships. So, make the most of it.

Find out more about our Summer Bachelor Program.