The Quantum Bears, a team of Missouri State students led by Dr. Ridwan Sakidja, professor in the department of physics, astronomy and materials science (PAMS) and Harthcock Fellow in the College of Natural and Applied Sciences (CNAS), captured attention in the Airbus and BMW Quantum Computing Challenge 2024. They were among the top three finalists in the Smart Coating category of the Quantum Challenge, which invited groups from around the world to tackle aviation and automotive questions by using quantum computing technologies. The Quantum Bears also placed in the top 15 overall finalists.

Team members included Matt Bruenning, Gaige Riggs, Zoheb Sohel and Anika Tabassum. Dr. Andrew Duff, Sakidja’s longtime colleague and a senior computational material scientist at the Science and Technology Facilities Council, also contributed, particularly during the project’s planning stages.

Q&A

We chatted with Sakidja, who shared his reflections on the Quantum Challenge and how a strategic use of resources laid the groundwork for the team’s success.

Academic Expressions: Placing in the top three was a big achievement.

Ridwan Sakidja: I’m very proud of our team, and it didn’t happen in a vacuum. It reflects the ecosystem of our university. Adopting new, emerging technology requires multiple steps and many layers of cooperation. Our success in the competition was the ninth or tenth step in a process.

AE: How did that process start?

RS: It all started with an investment in GPU workstations funded by the provost’s office, CNAS and PAMS. [Editor’s note: GPU workstations are powerful computers that are suited to tasks with complex calculations.] This critical step laid the groundwork for cutting-edge research in AI and quantum computing. Once we had this capability, we were able to offer special-topics, graduate courses in quantum mechanics.

On Building Interest in the Field

AE: How did your students respond to these courses?

RS: They were very interested — so much that we decided to host a seminar series. It helps that now, we’re all comfortable attending events on Zoom! We were able to set up a session with someone from IBM and one with a researcher in Hong Kong. They’re global experts in quantum computing, and they covered relevant topics in chemistry and materials science. These seminars exposed our students to where the field is going.

AE: So you knew there was a lot of interest.

RS: Absolutely! And then, last March, I received funding to attend the American Physical Society conference, where I noticed that sessions with topics related to quantum computers were always packed. I’ve never seen sessions like this! There were as many people standing as sitting, and people were willing to sit on the floor — including me! That was an eye opener for me. When I returned to campus, I felt even more committed: We have to keep working in this area.

How the Team Secured Necessary Resources

AE: Was that when the team started working toward the Quantum Challenge?

RS: First, we took a huge leap with our first supercomputer allocation for quantum computing research at the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center at the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. Having this access allowed us to simulate materials in qubits [or superconducting quantum bits].

AE: How did you secure this allocation?

RS: We applied for access to the supercomputer, specifically for the purpose of quantum computing. This couldn’t have happened without the support of Dr. Tamera Jahnke [then-dean of CNAS/current interim provost] and Brad Bodenhausen [vice president for community and global partnerships]. They reviewed and executed a five-year agreement, which opens up possibilities for many different applications.

Building Confidence

AE: And with that agreement, you had GPU workstations here, plus you had access to an even more powerful computer at Berkeley.

RS: Yes, we had the resources we needed to compete. PAMS and computer science students formed the Quantum Bears. They presented on quantum computing simulations at the [Frank Einhellig Graduate] Interdisciplinary Forum, and one of the posters was selected for the best poster award. This was a great confidence boost for our students because it showed them they were ready to compete.

AE: Oh, wow. So you used an event here on campus almost like a training opportunity — to help prepare students for competitions in less familiar environments.

RS: Exactly. It was a critical step. We saw that we performed well in this familiar environment, and we thought: Maybe we can do even more. Next, we spent six months competing in the Quantum Challenge. It was an incredible experience. First, we were selected as one of the 15 finalists, and then we learned that we made the top three in Smart Coating.

“In chemistry, we talk about ‘catalysts.’ A catalyst is typically a small molecule, but it’s amazing how seemingly small things become key points that move you from point A to point B.”

—Dr. Ridwan Sakidja

Looking Toward the Future

AE: What’s next for the Quantum Bears?

RS: So much! We’ve already begun a collaboration with Xanadu, the main developer of the quantum computing simulator Pennylane. With this, we’re able to offer PHY509/PHY609 — the first undergraduate/graduate course in quantum computing. We’re also going to finalize and publish the work we developed for the [Airbus and BMW] Quantum Challenge. At the same time, we’re embarking on a new effort as part of the Blaise Pascal Quantum Computer Challenge.

AE: We’ll stay tuned for news about that!

RS: Yes, our initiative is called QURE [Quantum Cure Alliance]. Our research group is collaborating with an international team — across multiple continents — all working together to tackle the challenge of drug resistance in anti-malaria treatment.

AE: It sounds like you’re describing a process in which you became aware of the importance of this field and its potential for your students, and you were able to leverage the resources available here to assemble a path toward a big goal.

RS: In chemistry, we talk about “catalysts.” A catalyst is typically a small molecule, but it’s amazing how seemingly small things become key points that move you from point A to point B. The investment in GPU workstations, the curricular flexibility that allowed us to offer quantum computing topics, the willingness of Tamera Jahnke and Brad Bodenhausen to execute an agreement with the Berkeley Lab, the opportunities we have as faculty to attend conferences and the support of the Harthcock Fellowship — these were all catalysts. That’s why I credit the ecosystem of our university. When we have this culture that drives innovation and creativity, that’s the key.