2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

NSF IUSE: Collaborative Research: Innovating Quantum-Inspired Learning for Undergraduates in Research and Engineering (INQUIRE)

Presented at NSF Grantees Poster Session II

The second quantum revolution has created an urgent national demand for engineers with competencies in quantum information science and technology (QIST). However, QIST curricula remain fragmented, highly theoretical, and poorly aligned with workforce needs, particularly for students without prior preparation in quantum physics. This paper reports on a level-3 NSF IUSE project, Innovating Quantum-Inspired Learning for Undergraduates in Research and Engineering (INQUIRE), now in its third year. The collaborative initiative integrates quantum hardware–software engineering tools, evidence-based instructional design, and competency-based curriculum alignment with the goals of making QIST education accessible. INQUIRE delivers a modular, evidence‑based platform that equips engineering educators to introduce QIST concepts effectively, thereby accelerating workforce development and bridging a critical skills gap in quantum technology.

Authors

Dr. Gloria J Kim University of Florida [biography]

Dr. Gloria Kim is an Assistant Professor of Engineering Education at the University of Florida (UF). She is also an affiliate faculty in UF's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. She received her B.S. in chemistry from Seoul National University, M.S. in biomedical engineering from Johns Hopkins University, and Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology. As an instructional associate professor, she was awarded several grants from the National Science Foundation (IUSE Level 1, IRES Track 1, I-Corps, and I-Corps for Learning) as principal investigator. She transitioned to tenure track in Fall 2022 to pursue her research interests in convergence in engineering education, global engineering education, and social issues in STEM research and practice. Recently, she has taken on new NSF projects to broaden participation in quantum engineering (IUSE Level 3), research abroad (IRES Track 1), use-inspired research (Convergence Accelerator Track I), and the inaugural NSF Regional Engine (Florida Semiconductor Engine). Having grown up in Australia, Canada, Korea, and Germany, she speaks three languages. Leveraging her international connections, she has served in leadership positions in the Korean-American Scientists and Engineers Association (KSEA, Vice President), Korean Society for Engineering Education (KSEE, International Relations Board Member), and the International Federation of Engineering Education Societies (IFEES, Executive Committee Member).
Philip Feng University of Florida
Jing Guo University of Florida

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