From Curiosity to Quantum with Dr Emily Edwards

Join Dr. Emily Edwards for an accessible introduction designed specifically for teachers who are curious about quantum but don’t know where to start. You’ll learn how to connect quantum concepts to what you already teach in your classroom. You’ll gain an understanding of core quantum ideas, superposition, entanglement, and uncertainty, in plain language and see how quantum topics already appear in your existing physics and chemistry lessons. ​Your Speaker Dr. Emily E. Edwards is a physicist and nationally recognized leader in quantum education and outreach. She currently serves as Associate Research Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Duke University and was previously Managing Director of the Illinois Quantum Information Science and Technology Center (IQUIST) at the University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign and co-leads the National Q-12 Education Partnership, a joint initiative of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and the National Science Foundation. ​Emily earned her Ph.D. in Physics and M.S. in Chemical Physics from the University Maryland, College Park, following a B.S. in Physics and Chemistry from Appalachian State University. Her early research focused on quantum storage using ion traps at the Joint Quantum Institute, where she later became Director of Communications and Outreach. ​A passionate advocate for broadening participation in quantum science, Emily has developed award-winning outreach programs that help teachers, students, and the public engage with quantum ideas. In 2022, she was named a Fellow of the ‪American Physical Society for her innovative contributions to informal quantum education and her leadership in advancing early quantum learning. In 2023, she also testified before the U.S. Congress on the importance of quantum education for K–12 learners.