I am Quantum Classroom Posters

This classroom poster set was created by QCORE with High School and Middle School STEM classrooms in mind. The set is designed to showcase several different young people with different backgrounds and aspirations who are working in quantum or quantum-adjacent fields or industries. Specifically, these posters explain what each person does, how quantum is involved in their work, and then a little about themselves personally. Each also provides advice that students might take if they are interested in a similar path. These posters promote educational pathways to careers in STEM and particularly, quantum and photonics (both industries are strong and growing globally and locally in Montana).

Here are some of the ways the posters can be grouped or presented:

Montana State University research lab posters

• Charlie Pollock (Graduate Student, Mosquera Lab, Chemistry and Biochemistry Department)
• M Wittkop (Graduate Student, Mosquera Lab, Chemistry and Biochemistry Department)
• Riley Logan (Professor/Faculty, Optical Technology Center, Electrical & Computer Engineering Department)
• Shannon Hamp (Former Graduate Student, Optical Technology Center)
• Corey Pearson (Graduate Student, Spectrum Lab)

Industry-focused posters

• Will Boekel (Aurora)
• Shannon Hamp (Spark Photonics)

Community College pathways

• Will Boekel (Gallatin College, Laser Technician Program)

Progression from university to career

(Shannon graduated with a Master's degree and started her career while these posters were being deveoloped).

• Shannon Hamp (Optical Technology Center, Montana State University)
• Shannon Hamp (Spark Photonics)

Downloadable PDF Poster File

Click on the thumbnail image to access a PDF that can print at 11x17

Interested in working with QCORE to produce an I am Quantum poster for your business or research lab as an outreach and workforce development tool? Please contact QuantumEducation@montana.edu

Downloadable slide decks

I am Quantum Poster PowerPoint Presentation

I am Quantum Poster Google Slides Presentation

Full text from each poster

SHANNON HAMP Graduate Research Assistant, Optical Technology Center 

I build, calibrate, and test remote sensing systems for environmental monitoring applications including low-cost imagers for monitoring water quality and drone-based sensors for measuring snow reflectivity.  

WHAT IS MY CONNECTION TO QUANTUM? The sensors that my research group builds to study the natural environment measure photons, which are QUANTIZED packets of light.  

OUTSIDE OF WORK, I like to play outside, especially on foot or skis! I grew up recreating in the Colorado mountains, and have enjoyed exploring the mountains around Bozeman and across Montana. 

WHAT ADVICE WOULD I GIVE HIGH SCHOOL ME? Take advantage of opportunities to design and build cool things! I started to find my interest in optics and photonics when I built a parabolic passive solar heater in high school. I couldn’t believe how much heat the sun could produce if you focused it just right. This small experiment propelled me into the world of optics and photonics, and I wish I’d had more of these experiences to build my excitement around engineering and design sooner. 

SHANNON HAMP Photonics Applications & Sales Engineer at Spark Photonics Design 

I serve as a technical point of contact for customers using software to design photonic integrated circuits (like electronic circuit boards that use photons instead of electrons!). I develop workshops to empower customers, deliver technical demonstrations, and represent Spark at conferences and workshops!  

WHAT IS MY CONNECTION TO QUANTUM? Photonic integrated circuits guide light to transmit signals and read data, enabling technologies like quantum computing! Additionally, when photons interact with tiny structures on a circuit board, we can take advantage of quantum properties like entanglement.  

HOW DID YOU GET INTO A QUANTUM-RELATED JOB? I chose to study optics and photonics before I knew that the field enables quantum technologies. Optics and photonics opens the door to a wide range of career paths!  

WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT YOUR JOB? Meeting a wide variety of customers who all have exciting and unique applications for photonic integrated circuits. 

RILEY LOGAN Assistant Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, MSU 

I develop optical remote sensing instruments and techniques using imagers and LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technologies. I work on all stages of the project lifecycle—from design and calibration to deployment and data analysis.  

WHAT IS MY CONNECTION TO QUANTUM? I use the QUANTIZED (particle, or photonic) nature of light to make all kinds of interesting observations about how light interacts with stuff. This has applications in biophotonics (using light to examine or manipulate biological systems) and environmental monitoring.  

OUTSIDE OF WORK I like to spend my time outside of work chasing my dog around the mountains on foot, by bike, or on skis, and getting behind on chores.  

WHAT ADVICE WOULD I GIVE HIGH SCHOOL ME? Class is so much more than something that is in the way of hanging out with friends. Pay careful attention to what gets you excited in class. I loved my high school physics class because of the projects that involved building small mechanical machines to accomplish a task as a part of a team. Now, one of my favorite parts of my job is when I get to combine theory and application to build cool stuff for a multidisciplinary research project (which often also involves spending time with my friends). 

Inset photo caption: Riley is in front of an optical phenomenon called a ‘cloudbow’  

Main photo caption: Riley with Dr. Joseph A. Shaw, Director of MSU's Optical Technology Center 

M WITTKOP Graduate Research Assistant, Chemistry & Biochemistry 

I model one-dimensional materials (long, thin chains of atoms) and two-dimensional materials (one-atom thick sheets) to calculate important electronic and optical properties. In particular, I work with Molybdenum and Tungsten-based materials.  

WHAT IS MY CONNECTION TO QUANTUM? The materials I work with, nanoribbons, have interesting quantum properties due to their extremely small scale. In addition, the calculations that are run by the computer are entirely based on the Schrödinger equation and quantum mechanics.  

OUTSIDE OF WORK, I am a volunteer for oSTEM international, an organization that supports LGBTQ+ people in STEM. I am a drag queen, and I love playing pool in the evenings and hiking on the weekends.  

WHAT ADVICE WOULD I GIVE HIGH SCHOOL ME? I would tell high-school-me to be less afraid of putting myself out there and exploring all the opportunities available to me. And to take a coding class. 

CHARLIE J. POLLOCK Graduate Research and Teaching Assistant, Chemistry & Biochemistry 

I model and calculate interactions between neutral atoms in a variety of geometries to predict their efficiency in quantum computing.  

WHAT IS MY CONNECTION TO QUANTUM? Quantum is the heart and soul of my research. My computational chemistry work is based on solving the Schrödinger equation to figure out how to describe the electrons surrounding the neutral atoms. Qubits, the basis for sending messages in quantum computers, can utilize behavior of electrons in neutral atoms in this form of quantum computing.  

OUTSIDE OF WORK, I enjoy a variety of pastimes. I love crafting – specifically crocheting and painting, and I also enjoy finding time to read a good book. Getting outside to hike or ski, depending on the season, has allowed me to fully enjoy Bozeman.  

WHAT ADVICE WOULD I GIVE HIGH SCHOOL ME? Continue to ask questions and chase knowledge in all aspects of your life. 

WILL BOEKEL  

Prototype LiDAR Technician, Aurora (a self-driving freight company) 

At Aurora I build, service, and help develop long range LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) units that are used on self driving semi trucks. I also help by designing in CAD and printing small parts for various tests and processes for our scanners.  

WHAT IS MY CONNECTION TO QUANTUM? At Aurora we use lasers and LiDAR to be able to sense the world around us and create a 3D image. LiDAR uses quantized particles of light, or photons (the smallest unit of light), which is an application of quantum.  

HOW DID I GET INTO A QUANTUM-RELATED JOB? I completed the Photonics and Laser Technology 2-year program through Gallatin College which prepared me to be hired as a technician in this field.  

THE THING I LIKE BEST ABOUT MY JOB is the ability to work on cutting edge technology that will have a big impact in the world. The change from day to day working on various projects and priorities makes it fun and refreshing as well.  

OUTSIDE OF WORK, my main hobby is project caving where I lead a mapping effort of the Bighorn/Horsethief Cave System. Over 100 volunteers have participated on the project. For this project we use custom built LiDAR units to supplement our standard documented cave survey methods to create a 3D model of the cave.  

WHAT ADVICE WOULD I GIVE HIGH SCHOOL ME? Ask for help earlier and take the time to make sure you understand things. 

COREY PEARSON Graduate Research Assistant, Spectrum Lab 

I build and test LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) and imaging systems that create three-dimensional reconstructions of objects for improving vision in foggy environments.   

WHAT IS MY CONNECTION TO QUANTUM? I use lasers in my optical systems to illuminate the objects that I am imaging. Lasers work through a process called stimulated emission. Electrons in a material are excited, by a pump or an energy source, to a higher QUANTIZED energy level. A photon then stimulates the already excited electron, making it drop to a lower energy level and emit an identical photon. This causes the two photons to be coherent, which is a special property of lasers. My LiDAR and imaging systems use this coherence property to detect weak signals. To clarify vocabulary, exciting an electron causes it to jump to a higher energy level. An electron can return to a lower energy level spontaneously (on its own), or due to being stimulated by a photon - hence why this is called stimulated emission, even though the electron is dropping to a lower energy level.  

OUTSIDE OF WORK, I love to cook, especially for my friends. I think that doing something creative in my free time lets me use a different part of my brain.  

WHAT ADVICE WOULD I GIVE HIGH SCHOOL ME? The world of science and engineering is larger than you can imagine, and it is okay for your goals to change as you explore it! When I was in high school, I was convinced that I would be an astrophysicist. My college physics classes got me interested in optics and photonics, but I also learned that I enjoy the handson element of engineering. In grad school I found a project that allowed me to learn about both physics and engineering!