Inside our Quantum Computing School: Two Days That Could Change Your Career Path

14 Apr, 2026

Over 40 students got a rare, immersive look inside the world of quantum computing research, and the people driving it forward.

FLiQC welcomed final year undergraduate students to the Sydney Knowledge Hub at The University of Sydney for a two-day FLiQC Next-Gen Quantum Computing School with support from Sydney Quantum Academy. The school was designed to do something beyond a typical information session: give participants genuine access to the researchers, industry partners, and current PhD students who make up the FLiQC community.

  

The program covered the full breadth of quantum computing, with talks from Centre Director Prof. Stephen Bartlett and Chief Investigators spanning the field, from quantum algorithms with Dr. Maria Kieferova, to architectures with Prof. Andrew Doherty, devices with A/Prof. John Bartholomew, and quantum computing fundamentals with Prof. Peter Turner. For students still finding their footing in the field, it was a rare opportunity to hear directly from the people at the frontier of each discipline.

Dr. Maja Cassidy then led an Industry Partner Panel, bringing in voices from Diraq and Emergence Quantum  – including Larissa Steele, Dr. Juan Pablo Dehollain, and Dr. Sebastian Pauka. The conversation gave students an honest picture of what industry looks for, and how an industry-embedded PhD bridges the gap between research and real-world application.

A visit to the Sydney Nanoscience Hub (also the home of FLiQC) added a tangible dimension to the day, seeing the physical infrastructure behind quantum research has a way of making everything more real. Students then moved into a networking session with Chief Investigators and industry representatives, the kind of informal exchange where some of the most important conversations happen.

To close, Prof. Susan Coppersmith chaired a candid discussion with current PhD students,  the voices perhaps most relevant to anyone weighing up the decision to apply. Hearing firsthand what the program actually looks like from the inside, day to day, is something no brochure can replicate.

We left the two days genuinely energised by the curiosity and enthusiasm in the room. We hope the students did too, and we look forward to seeing some of those familiar faces in the next cohort.

 

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