How to find a job in quantum computing | Quantum Computing Weekly #11

Quantum Computing Weekly #11

This is a syndicated version of my weekly e-mail round-up of news about Quantum Computing. to subscribe to updates and check out previous issues.

☁️ Hello from chilly London! This weekend I came back from Mexico, and although the jet-lag is pretty intense, I’m back to work and learning about quantum computing once more. In news we’ve got a few interesting articles about things like the difficulty in finding components for building a quantum computer, as well as non-cryptography related applications, and more. We’ll also be learning a bit about quantum tunneling as well as sharing a resource for finding a job in quantum computing! Looking for a particular area of quantum computing you’d like to see covered in the next issue? and let me know!

Tiny Fact of the week

This week we’ll learn a bit about something called quantum tunneling, which may have some massive implications for things like nuclear fusion and more.

The quantum tunneling effect is a quantum phenomenon which occurs when particles move through a barrier that, according to the theories of classical physics, should be impossible to move through. The barrier may be a physically impassable medium, such as an insulator or a vacuum, or a region of high potential energy.

In classical mechanics, when a particle has insufficient energy, it would not be able to overcome a potential barrier. In the quantum world, however, particles can often behave like waves. On encountering a barrier, a quantum wave will not end abruptly; rather, its amplitude will decrease exponentially. This drop in amplitude corresponds to a drop in the probability of finding a particle further into the barrier. If the barrier is thin enough, then the amplitude may be non-zero on the other side. This would imply that there is a finite probability that some of the particles will tunnel through the barrier.

As always, Wikipedia has an on this topic with a lot more details and is well worth a look.

Learn

What kind of jobs are out there for people in quantum computing? In this article Jay Gambetta lays out about 12 different types of roles, as well as some info on how to get in touch with IBM if you’re interested in a career in the field of quantum computing. Very cool!

 —   While traveling around to give talks about quantum computing, I’ve noticed two things — the enthusiasm of our growing community, and the frequency of the following question: “I don’t know much about…

News

 —   Quantum machines will deliver the next great leap forward in computing, but researchers building them can’t easily get some of the exotic components they need.

 —   When it comes to securing data, it is not too early to start anticipating the future threat of quantum computing. You need to plan today for the Quantum future. I talked to IBM — a company that understands both side of this problem.

 —   Disregard the alarmist headlines: Quantum computers won’t end privacy online. In fact, their most revolutionary impact may be felt offline.

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ExxonMobil has become the first energy company to join the IBM Q Network, a worldwide community that aims to advance quantum computing and explore science and business applications.

 —   Quantum computers are probably the most misunderstood of nascent technologies, which makes sense, because their very basics rely on the hardest-to-grasp concepts of physics. That’s led to people making some ridiculous claims, like that they give you “god-like powers” and that they’re an “imminent threat.”

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