QuSTEAM 

STAGE Lab

Mentors

Sunanda Prabhu Gaunkar, PhD Director of Science, STAGE (Scientists, Technologists & Artists Generating Exploration)
Nancy Kawalek Professor and Distinguished Fellow in the Arts, Science and Technology, Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering

Background

STAGE – Scientists, Technologists and Artists Generating Exploration – is a full-scale laboratory embedded within a science and engineering school devoted to collaborations among scientists and artists. Specifically, it is at the helm of one of four core research themes, that of “Arts, Sciences and Technology,” at the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (PME). The STAGE Lab’s distinct research focuses on creating and developing new theatre and film work inspired by science and technology. Rather than science lectures disguised as plays or films, these are emotionally engaging, entertaining stories. STAGE harnesses the power of storytelling to promote understanding of the sciences in the public arena, catalyze the development of art that depicts the scientific and technological age in which we live, and cultivate appreciation and collaboration between the two cultures of science and art. STAGE is collaborating on the arts component – i.e., the “A” – in QuSTEAM.

Externship Description

The externs will play an important role in QuSTEAM (Quantum Information Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics). Funded by the National Science Foundation, QuSTEAM is an initiative to create a transformational undergraduate curriculum – one that will provide a national educational model for the emerging field of quantum information science and engineering (QISE). The development of the QuSTEAM initiative will rely on collaborative, multidisciplinary, and research-based educational strategies to build an inclusive curriculum for a diverse community of future scientists and engineers. This opportunity requires someone who can think outside of the box and be a “quantum influencer,” one who gets the word out about QISE to untapped talent pools that otherwise might not be reached, and whose creative efforts generate excitement in such communities about the possibilities of a future in the quantum workforce.

Responsibilities

Responsibilities include finding new ways and unique methods to reach and attract untapped talent pools, such as underrepresented minorities and HBCUs, to professional pathways/careers in QISE. The arts and other creative tools (e.g., social media and filmmaking) will be used to:

• Communicate information about QISE and career opportunities in QISE to a broad national audience, especially to those who may not have been exposed to such opportunities in the past.
• Record and disseminate testimonials from underrepresented people about their enthusiasm for and success in QISE.
• Creating bi-weekly content and incorporating feedback from the “audience” to create new content.
• Communicating QISE concepts to a broad and diverse audience in inventive ways

Qualifications

• Familiarity with and/or a strong personal interest in quantum physics, filmmaking, social media, marketing and distribution, and related skills is preferred
• Experience working with untapped talent pools and/or STEM education is valuable.