[Colloquium] David Gonzalez-Maldonado Candidacy Exam/Dec 12, 2025

[via Colloquium]

This is an announcement of David Gonzalez-Maldonado's Candidacy Exam.
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Candidate: David Gonzalez-Maldonado

Date: Friday, December 12, 2025

Time:  2:30 pm CST

Location: JCL 298

Title: Preparing the Quantum Workforce: Engaging Young Learners and Training Teachers

Abstract: Quantum computing has been identified as a critical emerging technology with national security implications, positioning workforce development as both a technological and civic imperative. However, quantum computing education has historically been confined programs at the advanced undergraduate and graduate level, accessible primarily to students who have already committed to physics, mathematics, or computer science pathways, excluding broad segments of the population. Addressing these challenges requires a dual approach: developing informal, accessible activities that can introduce quantum concepts to younger learners through interactive experiences, and simultaneously preparing K-12 teachers to confidently implement these activities in their classrooms. Despite this, the landscape of quantum computing education beyond university settings remains underdeveloped, with limited professional development opportunities targeting and sparse empirical evidence regarding age-appropriate learning goals, effective designs, and pedagogical approaches for introducing quantum concepts to younger learners.

We present work addressing both critical components of this challenge. First, we describe the design and results of a professional development workshop aimed at equipping K-12 teachers with foundational quantum computing knowledge, hands-on classroom activities, and the self-efficacy necessary to introduce this emerging field to their students, observing statistically significant improvements in teacher enthusiasm, confidence, and reductions in anxiety across a cohort of 27 educators. Second, we present the development and learning goals of two mini-games within the Quander game suite—Qupcakery and Queuebits—that introduce quantum information science concepts of superposition, measurement, and probability to middle-school aged learners during a summer camp study and find evidence that the young learners can develop meaningful partial and full understandings of quantum phenomena when the concepts are embodied in playful contexts. We conclude by presenting our proposal for a systematic evaluation of the learning facilitated by the Quander game suite to assess depth and prevalence of quantum computing understanding across players.
 

Advisor: Diana Franklin

Committee Members: Marshini Chetty, Sarah Sebo, Ken Nakagaki, Diana Franklin