Guidance you can count on
Weekly faculty meetings, frequent near-peer support, and feedback at key project milestones.
May 24–July 30, 2027 · Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Ten weeks.
A new way to think.
Move from shared foundations to a research contribution of your own, supported by faculty mentors, near-peer researchers, and a cohort working across disciplines.
10weeks of discovery
A residential research experience
The program is based in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, with connections to IQUIST, the Coordinated Science Laboratory, and campus computing resources.
The work emphasizes theory, algorithms, and reproducible computation. You can contribute through simulations, mathematical reasoning, visualization, or protocol analysis; specialized quantum hardware is not required for every project.
Your research pathway
From a first question
to a defensible result.
The schedule below describes the planned research progression. Detailed daily schedules and partner activities will be shared with participants.
- Before arrival
Build the foundations
Short bridge modules in Python/NumPy, complex vectors, probability, and scientific notebooks; a mentor introduction and software setup.
- Week 1
Meet your research community
Orientation, responsible research, quantum-network bootcamp, computing safety, and exploration of project directions.
- Week 2
Make the question your own
Map the literature, create a project charter and reproducibility plan, and develop a mentoring compact and Individual Development Plan.
- Weeks 3–4
Reproduce, explain, then vary
Replicate a known result, begin guided implementation or derivation, and test the assumptions behind your first research direction.
- Week 5
Pause, present, and refine
Give a midpoint talk and write a short memo. Use mentor and peer feedback to calibrate the scope and the next experiments.
- Weeks 6–7
Work with greater independence
Test hypotheses, compare protocols, debug models, or develop proofs, alongside career and graduate-school programming.
- Weeks 8–9
Check the evidence. Tell the story.
Complete robustness checks and peer reproduction, then develop your paper, poster, and accessible research explanation.
- Week 10
Share what you discovered
Present at the final symposium, submit your research package, and create a continuation plan with your mentor.
- After the summer
Keep the connection
The mentoring plan includes follow-ups approximately six weeks and four months after the program, with next steps tailored to your project and goals.
The weekly rhythm
Research is a conversation.
Support is designed to evolve as your confidence and independence grow.
Ideas across the thrusts
Cohort stand-ups, seminars, and peer circles connect security, coding, and consensus.
A view beyond the project
Responsible research, career conversations, graduate-school preparation, and planned quantum-industry engagement.
Your research portfolio
Leave with a result
you can stand behind.
- A research poster and an oral presentation
- A short technical paper or extended abstract
- Reproducible code, notebooks, or a derivation package
- A continuation plan for research, coursework, or your next career step
Research does not promise a predetermined positive outcome. Clear evidence, sound methods, and explicit limitations are central to a successful project.
Life beyond the project
A summer of connections.
Social activities bring the cohort together and connect you with the broader Illinois research community. These activities are planned; dates and visit details will be shared with participants.
Living at Illinois
Room to focus.
Space to belong.
Housing, meals, and travel
Fully covered, suite-style housing in an on-campus residence hall, with a private bedroom and a shared living room and kitchen. Occasional meals are provided. Travel to and from campus is covered by the program.
Accessible participation
Appropriate accommodations will be made for students with disabilities. Contact program coordination to discuss access needs and plan for your participation.
Discuss accommodationsYour next research question starts here
Bring your curiosity.
Build something that matters.
No prior quantum coursework required. A summer of research, mentorship, and discovery at Illinois.