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SCaN Quantum Faculty Fellowship Opportunities

Captured in infrared light by NASA’s new James Webb Space Telescope.
NASA, ESA, CSA, and STScI

About the Fellowship

NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) program office seeks to enhance faculty professional knowledge and leadership experience by offering two 10-week summer fellowship opportunities for educators who are interested in collaborating with world-class scientists and engineers in the areas of quantum communications and networks and quantum information science (QIS). The program is designed to enable faculty members to broaden their professional outlook towards quantum applications and STEM outreach of interest to NASA’s Quantum Science and Technology (QS&T) program. 

The fellowship seeks to expand QIS workforce development, a mission of vital importance to both the National Quantum Initiative (NQI) and NASA SCaN.  As part of the program, selected faculty fellows will collaborate with staff at NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC on QIS programs plans and formulation. Eligible candidates will have current appointments with universities, colleges, or high schools in the United States.

The goals of this fellowship are to stimulate the exchange of ideas between faculty and NASA staff; enrich research and teaching at academic institutions; infuse quantum mission-related research and technology content into classroom teaching; and contribute to research, technology and engineering work of importance to SCaN/QS&T.

The opportunity is open to US nationals, citizens, and permanent residents. Faculty members from Minority Serving Institutions (MSI’s), women, and early career faculty are especially encouraged to apply.

About the Appointment

The appointment is at NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC with the management team of SCaN’s Quantum Communications Science and Technology (QS&T) program. The SCaN team is looking to make two such appointments. The first focuses on STEM and STEM-related education, training, and workforce matters. The second is geared towards the science and technology applications of NASA’s future space-based quantum testbed. Both appointments are designed to support SCaN’s long-term goals in space-based quantum communications and networking through engagement and active participation with U.S. educators and QIS experts.

As the field of Quantum Information Science and Technology (QIST) continues to grow, progress will be constrained by a workforce that is not able to keep up with the vast number of job opportunities coming available. The STEM appointment is expected to address this concern by determining how to design and increase workforce training efforts, mitigate workforce bottleneck, and foster continued American leadership in QIST. The selected candidate will develop and present a strategy to help SCaN increase the supply of talented personnel who have requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities in QIST. This includes, but is not limited to, identifying opportunities that are designed to grow NASA’s future workforce and professional expertise in QIST and space-based quantum communications and networking.    

The applications-focused appointment is meant to inform the SCaN team of the QIS community’s envisioned use of NASA’s quantum testbed. The anticipated QIS use is a major driver in the design and implementation of the future space-based quantum testbed. The SCaN team will look to the faculty fellow for help in aligning the testbed plans with the QIS community’s research interests and requirements. The selected candidate will also support design of a user-oriented, peer-reviewed approach that will grant competitive access to the testbed and identify alternative sources of funding. In addition, the faculty staff member will support the design of a future science and applications research center, which will act as a bridge between the QIS community and SCaN. 

Requirements

In light of the National Quantum Initiative, applications from U.S. educators who have strong interest in STEM policy and/or STEM program development or management at the national level, are encouraged. For the QIS-applications appointment, preference will be given to educators with both QIS-related research experience and interest in furthering and promoting the quantum information science and technology strategic goals identified by SCAN and NQI.

For all appointments, the applicant must be a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident and hold a teaching or research position at a U.S. high-school, college, or university. All permanent residents applying to the program must have their green card at the time of application. Additionally, no Dual Citizens are being accepted at this time.

Terms of the Appointment

Each appointment is expected to be in-person, pending government and NASA’s guidance. They will last for ten (10) consecutive weeks, which can begin in either May, June, July, or August. 

All fellows are expected to provide a formal presentation (briefing and written report) to NASA and SCaN’s senior management at the end of the appointment. Routine bi-weekly status reports are also expected. 

The stipend for Summer Faculty Fellows is set for $2,000 per week ($20,000.00 total).

For those relocating greater than 50 miles from their home location, the program will provide $2,500 to mitigate the cost of transportation to and from their duty location, and the cost of temporary housing. On-site housing is not available.

How to Apply

Resumes or CVs can be forwarded via e-mail to the SCaN public e-mail: scan@nasa.gov
The application deadline is April 4, 2022.