Conference: quantum artificial intelligence for engineering education

The National Science Foundation Division of Undergraduate Education awarded Northeastern University $100,000 on October 1, 2026, under the STEM Education program (CFDA 47.076) to organize and deliver a workshop on integrating quantum computing and trustworthy artificial intelligence into undergraduate engineering education.

The workshop will be co-located with the ACM Trust Conference in March 2027 at George Mason University's Arlington, Virginia campus. The event will convene engineering educators and researchers to learn and share strategies for incorporating quantum technologies and AI into engineering curricula, addressing the urgent need for engineering professionals to understand post-quantum cryptography challenges as modern systems become increasingly networked. The workshop will focus on introducing quantum technology topics into undergraduate engineering education in the AI era, aligning with Executive Order 14413 (quantum innovation) and Executive Order 14412 (protection against advanced cryptographic attacks).

Northeastern University will develop and release all workshop materials—including lecture slides, lab scaffolds, assessment rubrics, open-source code, and implementation guidelines—on a dedicated GitHub repository, enabling faculty unable to attend to access and benefit from the content. The project will employ a mixed-methods approach combining quantitative and qualitative measures to assess faculty learning outcomes and evaluate workshop effectiveness.

Performance period runs from October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2027, with place of performance in Boston, Massachusetts.

Abstract

This project serves the national interest by building a community of educators and researchers in engineering, quantum computing, and trustworthy artificial intelligence (AI) to understand and apply quantum AI technologies to engineering problems and engineering education. As modern engineering systems become increasingly networked, IT is urgent that engineering professionals understand the challenges that post-quantum cryptography (PQC) poses to these systems. However, quantum education and innovation have not yet been broadly integrated into engineering curricula nationally, leaving many faculty and students underprepared to design, develop, and implement engineering systems in the PQC ERA. This workshop offers a timely opportunity for engineering educators and researchers to learn, share, and discuss strategies for integrating quantum and AI technologies into engineering education, aligning with executive order 14413 (ushering in the next frontier of quantum innovation) and executive order 14412 (securing the nation against advanced cryptographic attacks). The workshop will be CO-located at the ACM trust conference in march 2027 at george mason university's arlington campus, VA, allowing US to invite trustworthy AI experts already attending the conference. CO-locating the events will save attendees time and reduce the overall cost of running the workshop. The workshop will focus on introducing recent quantum technology topics into undergraduate engineering education in the age of AI. A mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative measures, will be used to assess faculty learning outcomes and evaluate the workshop's effectiveness. All workshop materials?including lecture slides, lab scaffolds, assessment rubrics, open-source code, and implementation guidelines?will be released on a dedicated github repository, ensuring that faculty unable to attend can still benefit from the workshop's outputs. Findings will be submitted to the journal of engineering education or presented at the asee annual conference and the ACM sigcse symposium, with additional dissemination through a project website, social media, and local/regional professional networks. The NSF iuse: EDU program supports research and development projects that improve the effectiveness of stem education for all students. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are not planned for this award.