-Darius Chong
I recently completed my internship in Poland, and it was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. In addition to learning many new skills, I made lots of great friends, immersed myself in a new culture, tried Polish food, explored fascinating places, and made many good memories. Without a doubt, this has been the best semester of my university life so far.
My first two weeks in Poland was spent on the Quantum Summer School Q-Camp 2024, which focused on topics such as quantum information, quantum error correction and quantum key distribution. During the summer school, I attended a series of talks delivered by academics and industry professionals, which highlighted current developments in quantum technology and its future prospects. I find these talks very insightful, as they not only broadened my perspective on quantum mechanics, but also showcased the innovative solutions it could offer across various sectors. Furthermore, these talks helped me develop an appreciation for the synergy between academia and industry.
My personal highlight of the summer school was a 24-hour hackathon, where participants were divided into groups to propose quantum technological solutions to industrial problems. Our presentations are judged by academics and representatives from the industry. My team presents the idea of using quantum annealers to tackle optimization problems in finance. The most challenging aspect of the presentation was explaining complex topics accurately while making them accessible for a lay audience. I believe this is a crucial skill for bridging academic research and industry.
The main theme of my internship project is quantum metrology. I developed a scheme to optimize the precision limit for measurements on nearest-neighbor qubit-qubit interactions in a two-dimensional qubit lattice. The measurement scheme I consider involves the use of bosonic probes to extract information from the qubit lattice. I learned a lot about quantum metrology and learned some techniques in many-body physics. I thoroughly enjoyed the process of research and this experience reaffirms my desire to become a physicist.
During my research, I realized the nature of research is oftentimes laissez-faire. I had to set my own goals and discuss them with my supervisor and his PhD student, who provided suggestions for achieving them. However, it is not always clear how these goals can be achieved. There were many moments when I sifted through countless articles, tried different approaches, and asked numerous questions, only to feel lost and struggle to make progress. Some methods I learned from the literature, which I tried to apply to my problem, did not work as expected. However, this experience strengthened my perseverance and sharpened my problem-solving skills. It also taught me how to ask better questions and made me more adept at navigating through the internet to find the answers I need. Overall, my internship in Poland was an enriching experience, both intellectually and socially, and it strengthened my resolve to pursue a career in physics. Alongside the technical knowledge I gained, the friendships and unforgettable moments made it a journey I will always cherish.
