Ferrie will maintain his position as Associate Professor at the University of Technology Sydney and Centre for Quantum Software and Information while he leads content development for a highly interactive, web-based educational software package Q-CTRL is designing to help non-experts begin their journey in quantum computing.
In addition to his academic career, Ferrie turned to a decidedly younger audience a few years ago as author of the international best-seller “Quantum Physics for Babies,” the first in a series of well-received board books teaching children about the wonders of science. Recently, Ferrie has also begun posting video lectures of his “Introduction to Quantum Computing” university course for the public.
“Professor Ferrie is a highly respected and globally recognized educator who brings tremendous experience and communications skills to our efforts in making quantum computing more accessible to new entrants to the field,” said Michael J. Biercuk, founder and CEO of Q-CTRL. “The global quantum technology industry is well aware that the potential of quantum computing cannot be fulfilled without attracting more young people and professionals from other disciplines to the space, and we are excited to play a significant role in making that come to pass.”
“I am looking forward to bringing my passion for teaching quantum computing to developing interactive content with the world-class team of quantum scientists and software developers at Q-CTRL,” said Ferrie. “There is a growing appetite for learning more about quantum computing across a broad spectrum of people. If we can make quantum physics and computing interesting and understandable to young children, we can definitely make it so for adults as well.”
Ferrie will be working with Q-CTRL on BLACK OPAL 2.0, a major update to its software designed to help beginners understand how to achieve greater performance and results in this early era of error-prone and unstable quantum computers. The new software version is scheduled to be launched in early 2021.
