The U.S. Department of Energy’s Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory is offering new opportunities for students interested in accelerator engineering or quantum computing. The Reaching a New Energy Sciences Workforce (RENEW) initiative, which funds these opportunities, aims to provide research and training to underrepresented groups in STEM fields. Fermilab is involved with two programs funded by RENEW: a certificate program for particle accelerator electrical technicians and an educational program for students interested in quantum information research. The programs are a collaboration between Fermilab, the College of DuPage, the University of Illinois at Chicago, Coppin State University, and Spelman College.
U.S. Department of Energy’s Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory’s New Initiatives
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory is launching new initiatives aimed at students interested in accelerator engineering or quantum computing. These initiatives are particularly targeted at students who may not have sufficient resources at their home colleges. The initiatives are part of the Reaching a New Energy Sciences Workforce (RENEW) program, which connects national laboratories and research facilities with academic institutions to fund opportunities for faculty members and students from groups underrepresented in science research.
The RENEW program has two main goals. Firstly, it aims to provide research and traineeship opportunities to students from groups underrepresented in STEM fields. Secondly, it seeks to build research infrastructure at institutions that have not historically participated in particle physics research. Fermilab is directly involved with two programs that received a RENEW grant. One program offers a certificate program for particle accelerator electrical technicians, while the other promotes educational opportunities for students interested in quantum information research.
Preparing Prospective Technicians for Particle Accelerators
A senior engineer at Fermilab identified a need for more well-trained electrical technicians who can specifically work on particle accelerators. The Particle Accelerator Capabilities Enhancement and Modernization Apprenticeship Program (PACEMAP) was created to address this need. PACEMAP is a collaboration between Fermilab and the College of DuPage, a community college in Illinois. It will pilot a two-year apprenticeship program that will provide participants with an electrical technician certificate, customized for work within accelerators.
“There’s always this skill gap that exists from classroom to actual work, and it really helps to close that gap — and that builds confidence.”
Amanda Early
The students will take initial classes at the College of DuPage, then join Fermilab as part-time employees where they have on-the-job training and attend seminars focused on various accelerator topics and issues. The funding from the RENEW grant will help cover the cost of the courses and the part-time salaries for a pilot cohort of six participants. It also includes a stipend for the students during the semester of courses before working at Fermilab.
Bringing Quantum Computing Courses to New Classrooms
The Superconducting Quantum Materials and System Research Center (SQMS), led by Fermilab, received another RENEW grant to support workforce development and educational opportunities with minority serving institutions. Fermilab is the lead institution, partnering with the University of Illinois at Chicago, Coppin State University in Baltimore and Spelman College in Atlanta, all three of which are considered minority-serving institutions.
These institutions plan to join SQMS formally, and SQMS researchers will assist principal investigators in building quantum infrastructure and facilities at their respective institutions. Through this RENEW grant, these SQMS partner institutions will offer career path opportunities in quantum information research with hands-on research experiences.
Increasing Diversity in Quantum Information Research
Interest is growing in quantum information research. Each time SQMS offers an internship, more than 100 students apply, and more than 300 people applied to attend the recent inaugural U.S. Quantum Information Science school at Fermilab. Many of these applications come from students from groups historically underrepresented in research, and about half of the applications are from women.
The RENEW grant will fund the development of quantum facilities and coursework at these three colleges, along with research periods at Fermilab. The aim is to engage with students from a diverse population and give them a chance to do research in Fermilab’s laboratories.
The Role of Diversity in Innovation
Ambitious research, such as the research conducted at Fermilab, requires innovation. Bringing together people from different backgrounds, experiences, and skill sets can spur on this innovation. The diversity of perspectives can enrich the program and make discussions more interesting. The initiatives at Fermilab are a step towards creating a more diverse and inclusive workforce in the field of quantum information research and accelerator engineering.
“The goals of RENEW are two-fold,” said Amanda Early, a co-principal investigator for one of Fermilab’s RENEW grant-funded projects. “One is to provide research and traineeship opportunities to students from groups underrepresented in STEM fields. Another goal is to build research infrastructure at institutions that have not historically participated in particle physics research.”
“We are happy to host two programs at Fermilab funded by the RENEW program,” said Sandra Charles, Fermilab’s chief equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility officer. “These educational opportunities are workforce development initiatives that provide opportunities for students to gain valuable hands-on training to successfully launch interesting and secure STEM careers.”
“It’s not always enough just to provide an opportunity,” said Aisha Ibrahim, another co-principal investigator of the RENEW grant-funded accelerator technician training program. “What we heard from institutions is, ‘We would love to send students to a program, but we don’t have the proper research capabilities or coursework to provide confident candidates for that program. Sometimes we almost feel like we’re setting them up to fail.’”
“The goal of this program,” Early said, “is to create a qualified pipeline of individuals.”
“We have the accelerator division with the accelerator complex as it is, but the PIP-II particle accelerator is being built, and when that comes online, it’s going to present a whole new set of challenges,” she said. “We are not finding qualified applicants at a pace that is going to meet our workforce needs.”
“Through these efforts, the colleges will engage with students from a diverse population,” said Silvia Zorzetti. “Then, these students will have a chance to do research in our laboratories.”
“We find that quantum is acting as a gateway to increase diversity in our workforce,” she said. “There is momentum around quantum, so RENEW is a great opportunity to expand our partnerships with minority-serving institutions to try to bring in a new and more diverse quantum workforce.”
“I feel that if you are in a room that is diverse, then the discussion is more interesting,” Zorzetti also said. “Bringing together people with different backgrounds can really enrich our program.”
Summary
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory is launching new programmes to provide research and training opportunities for underrepresented groups in STEM fields, funded by the Reaching a New Energy Sciences Workforce (RENEW) initiative. One programme will train electrical technicians for particle accelerators, while the other will offer educational opportunities in quantum information research, both aiming to build a diverse, skilled workforce for the future of science and technology.
- The U.S. Department of Energy’s Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory is offering new opportunities for students interested in accelerator engineering or quantum computing through the Reaching a New Energy Sciences Workforce (RENEW) initiative.
- The initiative aims to provide research and training opportunities to underrepresented groups in STEM fields and build research infrastructure at institutions not traditionally involved in particle physics research.
- Fermilab is involved in two programs funded by RENEW. One offers a certificate program for particle accelerator electrical technicians, and the other promotes educational opportunities in quantum information research.
- The Particle Accelerator Capabilities Enhancement and Modernization Apprenticeship Program (PACEMAP), a collaboration between Fermilab and the College of DuPage, will provide participants with an electrical technician certificate, customized for work within accelerators.
- The Superconducting Quantum Materials and System Research Center (SQMS), led by Fermilab, received a RENEW grant to support workforce development and educational opportunities with minority-serving institutions. The SQMS Center is one of five DOE National Quantum Information Science Research Centers in the country.
- Fermilab is partnering with the University of Illinois at Chicago, Coppin State University in Baltimore, and Spelman College in Atlanta to offer career path opportunities in quantum information research with hands-on experiences.
- The RENEW grant will fund the development of quantum facilities and coursework at these three colleges, along with research periods at Fermilab.