A new massive open online course (MOOC) being offered by CalTech and Delft University aims to help engineers, scientists and cybersecurity researchers prepare for the future of quantum computing, and its associated security needs with a course on Quantum Cryptography.
The MOOC will focus on the ways in which the principles of quantum mechanics can be harnessed to create secure lines of communication. Students will learn how to take advantage of quantum effects such as entanglement and uncertainty to create and apply cryptographic tasks that can provide levels of security beyond the reach of classical cryptography.
This type of digital security will become even more necessary as the digitization of our products, our services and our data continues to increase in complexity, and as quantum computing becomes more of a reality.
“It’s a hot topic, but there are very few resources for people wanting to go beyond just the basics. Very few schools will even have a quantum cryptography course," said Thomas Vidick, assistant professor of computing and mathematical sciences in CalTech’s division of Engineering and Applied Science. Vidick will co-teach the course in collaboration with Stephanie Wehner from QuTech at the Delft University of Technology.
So far, the MOOC has over 5,000 students registered – on the low side of average MOOC enrollment standards of around 43,000, according to a 2014 study from Open University in the United Kingdom. Nevertheless, Vidick is optimistic that the completion rate will match the MOOC average of 6.5 percent, which would result in about 200 students completing the entire online course.
As the course is a joint effort between CalTech and DelftU, both professors will offer a classroom component to enrolled students from their home campuses. The 40-odd DelftU students and around a dozen CalTech students will be able to attend some classes time in person along with the online component. The structure will be a “flipped classroom” model, where all lectures are done online and the classroom time will be spent examining the concepts in greater depth to help cement what the students learned in the video lectures.
Online students will access video lectures, lecture notes, quizzes and links to additional study and topic resources.
Engineers and other technical students who are interested in the topic of quantum cryptography and the future of secure communications, but who may not have a background in quantum theory, are still in luck.
The course does not require students to have existing knowledge of quantum mechanics. One of the things that makes this MOOC ideal for students coming from the engineering disciplines, however, is that a strong understanding of linear algebra Is required, according to Vidick.
"Making the course accessible does not mean dumbing it down, and the less mathematically inclined might find it challenging," he explained in a blog post announcing the course.
The course is offered through the EdX online education platform, and launches on October 10th. Interested students can check out the details and enroll online at the EdX Quantum Cryptography course webpage.