fAQ by SandboxAQ

In this episode of the fAQ podcast, Tai-Danae Bradley sits down with Alex Belsley to discuss his role in strategic finance at SandboxAQ. Alex gives us a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to scale complex technologies—like our magnetic heart imaging device and spoof-proof navigation systems—and turn incredible science into a durable, real-world business.

But Alex’s path to finance has a massive plot twist: his background is actually in quantum photonics! He breaks down his fascinating PhD research at the University of Bristol, where he generated a special quantum state called "squeezed light" on semiconductor chips to push the boundaries of optical measurement. We also get to hear the inspiring personal story behind his career pivot. Driven by the legacy of his grandfather—a mechanical engineer who designed rocket thrusters for the early space program—Alex realized he wanted a front-row seat to the next massive technological inflection point: AI and quantum tech.

Whether he is publishing papers in Physical Review Letters, creating popular online chess courses, or navigating complex business operations, Alex brings an amazing level of passion to his work.

Links

• Learn more about SandboxAQ here: https://www.sandboxaq.com/company/about-us
• Connect with Alex on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-belsley

About this podcast

This podcast is hosted by Tai-Danae Bradley and features the stories of amazing people working in science and technology at SandboxAQ and beyond. All curious humans are invited to join!

Want to get in touch? Write us at faq-podcast@sandboxaq.com

For previous episodes, check out https://www.youtube.com/@sandboxaq

In our newest episode, Tai-Danae Bradley chats with Christian Nguyen about tackling one of global healthcare's toughest challenges: diagnosing heart attacks. As a Program Manager on the AQMed team at SandboxAQ, Christian has morphed from a research scientist to a software engineer and beyond, all to help his team get their revolutionary magnetic camera ready for its first major manufacturing and FDA milestones this year.

Before diving into health tech, Christian spent his academic career deep in the world of quantum information science. We discuss his time at Cornell—where he jumped into the physics lab to help manufacture electron-generating targets for the university's linear particle accelerator—and his graduate work at Harvard, exploring how the unique optical properties of diamonds make them the perfect building blocks for a future quantum internet.

From pivoting through five different roles on the AQMed team to leaning on large language models as a daily thought partner in the lab, Christian exemplifies what it means to be adaptable.

CAUTION— CardiAQ is an investigational device. Limited by Federal (or United States) law to investigational use.

Links

• Learn more about SandboxAQ here: https://www.sandboxaq.com/company/about-us
• Connect with Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/byaffe/

About this podcast

This podcast is hosted by Tai-Danae Bradley and features the stories of amazing people working in science and technology at SandboxAQ and beyond. All curious humans are invited to join!

Want to get in touch? Write us at faq-podcast@sandboxaq.com

For previous episodes, check out https://www.youtube.com/@sandboxaq

In this episode of the fAQ podcast, Tai-Danae Bradley sits down with Ben Yaffe, Principal for Strategy and Operations at SandboxAQ, to explore his incredibly varied career. Ben describes his "delightfully nebulous" role as a multi-tool across the company, jumping into projects that range from securing flight testing for the AQNav team to executing manufacturing transfer plans for AQMed's cardiac diagnostic device.

Ben breaks down how the AQNav team is building spoof-proof aircraft navigation using the Earth's magnetic crust, and why AQMed's washing-machine-sized magnetic sensor could revolutionize how emergency rooms diagnose heart attacks. We also dive into his work with the AI simulation team, which recently landed a $500 million CHIPS Act grant to accelerate domestic battery and silicon manufacturing.

Beyond the tech, Ben shares his incredible background—from setting up California’s first drive-thru COVID test sites and leading search and rescue teams, to how growing up in New York City gave him an unstoppable bias for action. Tune in to hear about his "Snadbox" initiative that celebrates learning from failure, and why his ultimate dream is to open a coffee shop using a restored "trash espresso machine"!

CAUTION— CardiAQ is an investigational device. Limited by Federal (or United States) law to investigational use.

Links

• Learn more about SandboxAQ here: https://www.sandboxaq.com/company/about-us
• Connect with Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/byaffe/

Next up on the fAQ Podcast, Tai-Danae Bradley sits down with Kit Yee Au-Yeung, General Manager of AQMed at SandboxAQ, for a fascinating conversation about medical devices, leadership, and startup culture.

Kit breaks down her team's work on an AI-powered magnetocardiography (MCG) device that captures the heart's magnetic signals right at the bedside, bypassing the need for an unwieldy metal shield. But building groundbreaking tech requires an incredibly adaptable team. Kit shares why she thrives juggling multiple projects in fast-paced startup environments and discusses her favorite mantras from her time at Google X — like tackling the "monkey and the pedestal" and adopting the mindset of a "tiger beetle".

Listeners will get great advice on navigating deep tech, including why past successes with vendors don't always predict future outcomes, how she empowers quantum physicists to embrace regulatory operations, and the importance of being comfortable in your own skin.

CAUTION — CardiAQ is an investigational device. Limited by Federal (or United States) law to investigational use.

Links

• Learn more about the AQMed team at SandboxAQ here: https://www.sandboxaq.com/solutions/aqmed
• Connect with Kit on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kityeeauyeung/

About this podcast

This podcast is hosted by Tai-Danae Bradley and features the stories of amazing people working in science and technology at SandboxAQ and beyond. All curious humans are invited to join!

Want to get in touch? Write us at faq-podcast@sandboxaq.com

For previous episodes, check out https://www.youtube.com/@sandboxaq

In this episode of the fAQ podcast, Tai-Danae Bradley sits down with Joe Howlett, a science journalist at Scientific American and former astroparticle physicist, to discuss his fascinating transition from experimental physics to science storytelling.

Joe takes us inside his former life as a physicist, detailing his PhD research at Columbia University where he hunted for "WIMPs"—the elusive particles thought to make up dark matter. He breaks down the mind-boggling reality that all known matter accounts for only one-sixth of the universe, and openly shares the emotional toll of a 40-year global physics search that has yielded negative results. We discuss how these unanswered questions led him to pivot away from a postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford to pursue a career in science journalism.

Whether he is learning to make science "dance on the page" under the mentorship of legendary writers, uncovering historical math scandals, or preparing his latest essay on the universe's unanswerable questions, Joe's relentless curiosity is truly inspiring.

Links

• Read Joe’s latest articles for Scientific American: https://www.scientificamerican.com/author/joseph-howlett/
• Connect with Joe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-howlett-a180471b7/

In this episode of the fAQ podcast, Tai-Danae Bradley sits down with Janet Faakye, a neuroscientist and project manager at SandboxAQ, to explore the critical intersection of deep tech, project management, and science communication.

Janet’s path is a masterclass in following your curiosity. She discusses her transition from studying psychology in Ghana to earning a PhD in neuroscience in the US. Listeners will get a crash course in her graduate research on vascular aging and how senescent cells behave like infectious "zombies" in the brain. Janet also discusses her experience of making the transition from academia to industry, the art of context-switching when talking to different stakeholders, and the valuable lesson of learning to boldly speak up for your own accomplishments.

Whether she is translating complex concepts for the public, running global tech initiatives, or dreaming of a worldwide food tour, Janet's authentic approach to life and science is truly contagious.

Links

• Learn more about SandboxAQ’s Scholarship Program here: https://www.sandboxaq.com/company/scholarships
• Connect with Janet on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janet-faakye-ph-d-pmp

About this podcast

This podcast is hosted by Tai-Danae Bradley and features the stories of amazing people working in science and technology at SandboxAQ and beyond. All curious humans are invited to join!

Want to get in touch? Write us at faq-podcast@sandboxaq.com

For previous episodes, check out https://www.youtube.com/@sandboxaq

Ethan Pratt, Head of Engineering at SandboxAQ’s AQMed division, joins Tai-Danae Bradley for a conversation about building heart-health technology that can meet clinicians where they are: in the fast, messy reality of the emergency room.

In this episode, Ethan explains AQMed’s work on magnetocardiography, a technique designed to capture the heart’s magnetic signals and help address one of medicine’s toughest everyday challenges: evaluating chest-pain patients in the ER’s diagnostic “gray zone.” He shares why the team has focused so intensely on real hospital workflows, how an “algorithmic shield” helps separate the heart’s signal from ambient magnetic noise, and why getting prototypes into real clinical settings matters more than waiting for perfection in the lab.

The conversation also traces Ethan’s unconventional path into medtech, from rebuilding a 1967 Camaro and studying physics at Cal Poly to earning a PhD at Cornell and eventually discovering that his strengths lay not in abstract theory alone, but in building experiments, devices, and teams that work in the real world. Along the way, he reflects on math anxiety, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the guiding principle that has shaped both his career and his leadership style: start with what you know.

CAUTION— CardiAQ is an investigational device. Limited by Federal (or United States) law to investigational use.

Links

• Learn more about SandboxAQ’s AQMed team here: https://www.sandboxaq.com/solutions/aqmed
• Connect with Ethan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ethanpratt/

About this podcast

This podcast is hosted by Tai-Danae Bradley and features the stories of amazing people working in science and technology at SandboxAQ and beyond. All curious humans are invited to join!

Want to get in touch? Write us at faq-podcast@sandboxaq.com

For previous episodes, check out https://www.youtube.com/@sandboxaq

In this episode of the fAQ Podcast, Tai-Danae Bradley sits down with Luca Ferrara, the General Manager for the AQNav team at SandboxAQ, to discuss his inspiring career trajectory, which began with a childhood in Orlando, Florida, and an early interest for the sciences. After experiencing some academic burnout in high school, he pivoted to speech and debate, eventually studying international relations and economics at Boston College. We discuss his journey from the trading floor at UBS to earning his MBA at the University of Chicago, and how a 20% project at Google led him to the cutting edge of quantum technology.

We also discuss the world of magnetic navigation, where Luca explains how GPS systems are increasingly vulnerable to jamming and spoofing, and how his team is building resilient infrastructure by using highly sensitive quantum sensors to navigate using the Earth's magnetic field.

Tune in to hear Luca's insights on filtering out extreme electromagnetic noise on an aircraft, his advice on seizing high-leverage career opportunities, and why he dreams of touring the world's remote islands on a mega yacht.

Links

• Learn more about SandboxAQ’s AQNav team here: https://www.sandboxaq.com/solutions/aqnav
• Connect with Luca on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luca-andrea-ferrara-83a03b38/

About this podcast

This podcast is hosted by Tai-Danae Bradley and features the stories of amazing people working in science and technology at SandboxAQ and beyond. All curious humans are invited to join!

Want to get in touch? Write us at faq-podcast@sandboxaq.com

For previous episodes, check out https://www.youtube.com/@sandboxaq

Next up on the fAQ Podcast, Tai-Danae Bradley sits down with Samantha Davis, a postdoc resident on the AI Simulation team at SandboxAQ. Samantha shares her remarkable scientific journey, which spans from earning a PhD in physics at Caltech, where she built quantum teleportation networks, to her current work building virtual cell simulation engines for computational biology.

But her path to these incredible achievements was wonderfully unconventional. Tune in to hear how Samantha transitioned her mindset from open-ended academic curiosity to product-driven industry deliverables, how she balances it all with adventurous travels like hiking the pristine lakes of the Andes, and why she believes the deepest scientific discoveries happen at the intersection of fields.

Links

• Learn more about SandboxAQ’s AI Simulation team here: https://www.sandboxaq.com/solutions/drug-discovery
• Find Samantha on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-isabel-davis-965a23144/

About this podcast

This podcast is hosted by Tai-Danae Bradley and features the stories of amazing people working in science and technology at SandboxAQ and beyond. All curious humans are invited to join!

Want to get in touch? Write us at faq-podcast@sandboxaq.com

For previous episodes, check out https://www.youtube.com/@sandboxaq

In this episode of the fAQ Podcast, host Tai-Danae Bradley sits down with Daniel Litt, an assistant professor of mathematics at the University of Toronto, to discuss the rapidly evolving intersection of AI and mathematics. Bypassing the public speculation and social media hype, this conversation provides a practical look at some ways large language models are actively being used in high-level mathematical research. Daniel shares his daily workflow, detailing his transition from testing early AI models in a Dungeons and Dragons game to currently utilizing advanced tools for literature search, "vibe coding," and finding counterexamples. The discussion also covers the new challenge of "proof abundance," practical tips for prompting AI effectively, and how these powerful tools might force a necessary restructuring of mathematical education and the academic publishing system.

Links

• Learn more about Daniel here: https://www.daniellitt.com
• Follow Daniel on X: https://x.com/littmath

About this podcast

This podcast is hosted by Tai-Danae Bradley and features the stories of amazing people working in science and technology at SandboxAQ and beyond. All curious humans are invited to join!

Want to get in touch? Write us at faq-podcast@sandboxaq.com

For previous episodes, check out https://www.youtube.com/@sandboxaq

In this episode of the fAQ podcast, Tai-Danae sits down with Jonathan Corbiere, the co-founder and CEO of Thought Cafe, an award-winning animation and design studio, to discuss the crucial role of visual storytelling in the age of deep tech.

Jon shares his fascinating journey from being a kid with dreams of becoming an astronaut—a path unexpectedly changed by a colorblindness diagnosis—to becoming a master visual translator for complex scientific ideas. Tai-Danae and Jon dive into how his early love for Michael Crichton and Star Trek shaped his worldview, and why he believes that today's science fiction is rapidly becoming our science reality.

They also discuss a profound realization Jon had after hearing a lecture by David Suzuki: why it shouldn't just be the scientist's job to communicate the reality of crises and technological breakthroughs to the public. Plus, Jon gives us a sneak peek into Amplified Intelligence, his highly creative new podcast that features a tuned AI agent as an active co-host!

Tune in for an inspiring conversation about lifelong learning, the power of communication, and why we should start thinking of AI not as "artificial," but as an amplification of the human spirit.

Links

• Follow Jon on LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/jonathoncorbiere
• Subscribe to Thought Cafe’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/ThoughtBubbler
• View Thought Cafe’s work for SandboxAQ: https://www.thoughtcafe.ca/sandboxaq

About this podcast

This podcast is hosted by Tai-Danae Bradley and features the stories of amazing people working in science and technology at SandboxAQ and beyond. All curious humans are invited to join!

Want to get in touch? Write us at faq-podcast@sandboxaq.com

For previous episodes, check out https://www.youtube.com/@sandboxaq

What does the next generation of deep tech leadership look like? In this episode of the fAQ podcast, Tai-Danae sits down with Natashia Kaur Raina, a senior at IIT Madras and a rising star in the quantum computing space. From growing up in a house filled wall-to-wall with books in Chennai, India, to balancing a myriad of professional and academic roles, Natashia shares where her incredible drive comes from.

We dive into how an early love for astrophysics paved the way for her fascination with quantum mechanics. Natashia discusses the moment she realized she needed to start her own YouTube channel in December 2023 to help democratize quantum education. She also walks us through her current endeavors, including her work as a quantum security research engineer at Vyapati, building her EdTech startup NucleQi, and writing upcoming books on quantum machine learning and cryptography. She also opens up about the dangers of overthinking and shares the leadership maturity she’s developed to achieve extreme focus—learning to stop worrying about the future, quiet her mind, and give 100% of her energy to the present moment.

Whether you're a student trying to break into deep tech or just someone looking for motivation to stop overthinking and start doing, Natashia's ambition—which stretches all the way to dreams of a Nobel Prize—will leave you inspired.

Links

• Follow Natashia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kiran-kaur-raina-b2922622a/
• Subscribe to her YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@NatashiaKaurRaina/videos
• Watch Natashia’s first, and most popular, video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCkYT5VIQLQ

About this podcast

This podcast is hosted by Tai-Danae Bradley and features the stories of amazing people working in science and technology at SandboxAQ and beyond. All curious humans are invited to join!

Want to get in touch? Write us at faq-podcast@sandboxaq.com

For previous episodes, check out https://www.youtube.com/@sandboxaq

In our next episode of the fAQ podcast, Tai-Danae Bradley sits down with SandboxAQ's Eneko Axpe to explore the creative and resilient mindset required to navigate and lead in deep tech. Innovation at the edge of physics demands more than technical brilliance; it requires the ability to communicate complex ideas, recover from massive failures, and foster healthy, high-performing teams. Eneko shares his incredible journey from a humble upbringing in Bilbao, Spain, where his mother worked as a cleaner. Thanks to accessible, high-quality public education, he was able to follow his passion and eventually become the first Basque physicist at NASA.

Eneko’s path is a testament to the power of resilience. He opens up about the terrifying (and now hilarious) story of his very first PhD experiment, where a broken glass vial led to the accidental creation of a radioactive living cell culture—resulting in an eight-hour lockdown with his PI. He explains how he bounced back from that disaster, adopting a philosophy from an early mentor to "stand up when you fall" and to treat life's massive obstacles like tsunamis to be surfed. By eventually swapping the glass for metal, his experiment ultimately led to a publication in Nature Physics and a spot at Oxford University.

We also explore his approach to leadership, deeply influenced by a mentor at Stanford who taught him that a leader's true priorities are ensuring their team is growing and happy. Finally, Eneko illustrates that the best deep tech innovators are often polymaths. He walks us through his 15 years in science radio, writing a hit theater play called "Quantum Adventures" that explains quantum physics to kids using Schrödinger's cat, and his mind-blowing invention of "electro cooking," which uses electrical resistance to cook a kilo of meat in just eight seconds.

Links

• Delicioso Algoritmo by Eneko Axpe: https://www.amazon.com/Delicioso-algoritmo-Eneko-Axpe/dp/8408297678/

About this podcast

This podcast is hosted by Tai-Danae Bradley and features the stories of amazing people working in science and technology at SandboxAQ and beyond. All curious humans are invited to join!

Want to get in touch? Write us at faq-podcast@sandboxaq.com

For previous episodes, check out https://www.youtube.com/@sandboxaq

In this episode of the fAQ podcast, Tai-Danae explores the emotional and intellectual rigor required to solve impossible problems in Deep Tech with Tiffany Callahan, who was a Machine Learning Research Scientist at SandboxAQ before starting her current role at Manas AI as a Principal Machine Learning Engineer. Tiffany is a computational biologist with a fascinatingly unconventional background. From testing the melting point of Tupperware in her family's fireplace, to conducting behavioral experiments on her triplet siblings, her unquenchable curiosity has driven her since childhood.

Tiffany walks us through her journey of completing a 752-page dissertation at the University of Colorado Anschutz, inspired by her grandfather’s wisdom that “knowledge is the one thing that no one can take away from you”. We dive deep into her work at SandboxAQ, where she led a team building causal virtual cell models from first principles to understand gene expression dynamics.

Because Deep Tech demands that we operate in uncharted territory, Tiffany opens up about the immense pressure of the work. She shares the brilliant concept of “Rubber Duck Science” and explains why true Deep Tech leadership requires radical vulnerability. Tiffany recounts a recent moment where she cried in front of her team out of frustration, admitted she didn't know the answer, and watched as that raw honesty empowered her team to solve a two-week coding problem in just two hours. Finally, she shares her deeply personal ultimate dream: to use biology, AI, and digital patterns to proactively solve mental health crises before people even know they are struggling.

Links:

• Follow her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/callahantiff
• Check out her AQtive Minds episode here: “From fMRI to AI: A Scientist's Journey to Building Virtual Cells | Tiffany Callahan's AQtive Mind” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9j6EHsBvfg

About this podcast

This podcast is hosted by Tai-Danae Bradley and features the stories of amazing people working in science and technology at SandboxAQ and beyond. All curious humans are invited to join!

Want to get in touch? Write us at faq-podcast@sandboxaq.com

For previous episodes, check out https://www.youtube.com/@sandboxaq

The fAQ Podcast is back from hiatus! In our first episode of season 3, Tai-Danae explores what it takes to lead and innovate at the bleeding edge of deep tech with SandboxAQ's Stefan Bogdanovic, Strategic Innovation Lead on the AQMed team. Moving from abstract scientific concepts to building real-world medical products requires a complete shift in mindset, and Stefan walks us through exactly how he navigated that transition.

Stefan’s journey is a masterclass in resilience, starting from his childhood in Serbia during the turbulent 1990s. Originally determined to be a pure theoretical physicist, he opens up about his early battles with imposter syndrome in a dry, highly mathematical educational system that lacked psychological safety. We dive into his evolution from an academic holding the unofficial title of "Chief Morale Officer" for his team at Harvard, to a deep tech leader navigating the messy reality of product development.

Stefan shares hard-hitting leadership lessons from SandboxAQ, including the pivotal moment his team’s three-year project on a magnetocardiography device failed its first clinical trial at UCSF after picking up interference from elevators and laptops. He explains why failing early is a necessary gift in deep tech, how startups often get product strategy backward by prioritizing tech over the application, and why technical leaders must be willing to strip away their professional ego and identity to truly solve a problem.

Learn more about what the AQMed is working on here: https://www.sandboxaq.com/solutions/aqmed

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• “From D&D to Quantum Discovery | Stefan Bogdanovic's AQtive Mind” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuWl0W-c2w8
• “From Diamonds to Heartbeats: Stefan Bogdanovic’s Journey” https://www.sandboxaq.com/post/from-diamonds-to-heartbeats-stefan-bogdanovics-journey

About this podcast

This podcast is hosted by Tai-Danae Bradley and features the stories of amazing people working in science and technology at SandboxAQ and beyond. All curious humans are invited to join!

Want to get in touch? Write us at faq-podcast@sandboxaq.com

For previous episodes, check out https://www.youtube.com/@sandboxaq

Welcome to season 2 finale of fAQ! For this season, Tai-Danae and Adam focused on a single topic: What is actually happening inside a quantum computer? By the end of this season, you'll have a better understanding of the "how" of quantum computing. So get ready to go beyond the theory and dig into what's actually going on these machines that harness the fundamental forces of the universe! In this sixth episode, we continue our exploration into DiVincenzo's fifth criterion for functional quantum computers: "Measurement of individual qubits". Specifically, we dig into what it means to "measure" something, in both the everyday context and in the quantum world. You might end up being surprised how similar those are and how not-strange measurement is in the quantum context...well at least some parts of those measurements! Oh, and we talk about how you, yes YOU, can work towards winning a Nobel Prize using the fAQ comment section ;-) Want to get in touch? Write us at faq-podcast@sandboxaq.com Host Bios: Tai-Danae Bradley is a research mathematician at SandboxAQ. She earned a PhD in mathematics from the CUNY Graduate Center and is creator of the mathematics blog, Math3ma, and a former cohost of PBS Infinite Series. Adam Green is the Head of Science Education at SandboxAQ. He earned a PhD in ecology and evolutionary biology from the University of Rochester and was the Director of US Academic Content at Khan Academy before joining Sandbox. Resources mentioned on this episode: https://pennylane.ai/qml/demos/tutorial_trapped_ions https://pennylane.ai/qml/demos/tutorial_sc_qubits https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-does-the-quantum-world-cross-over/ Want to learn more about what SandboxAQ does? Check out our blog: https://www.sandboxaq.com/blog

Heads-up, you might want to check out the video version of fAQ this time, there are a lot of graphics that will help you through this topic!Welcome to season 2 of fAQ!

For this season, Tai-Danae and Adam will be focusing on a single topic: What is actually happening inside a quantum computer? By the end of this season, you'll have a better understanding of the "how" of quantum computing. So get ready to go beyond the theory and dig into what's actually going on these machines that harness the fundamental forces of the universe!

In this fifth episode, we continue our exploration into DiVincenzo's fourth criterion for functional quantum computers: "A universal set of quantum gates". Specifically, we look at two-qubit gates and really dig into how quantum entanglement works and how to create it among trapped ions. And along the way, you'll hear about what old-school Nintendo cheat codes and not-stealing M&Ms has to do with all of this!

Want to get in touch? Write us at faq-podcast@sandboxaq.com

Host Bios:

Tai-Danae Bradley is a research mathematician at SandboxAQ. She earned a PhD in mathematics from the CUNY Graduate Center and is creator of the mathematics blog, Math3ma, and a former cohost of PBS Infinite Series.

Adam Green is the Head of Science Education at SandboxAQ. He earned a PhD in ecology and evolutionary biology from the University of Rochester and was the Director of US Academic Content at Khan Academy before joining Sandbox.

Resources mentioned on this episode:

https://pennylane.ai/qml/demos/tutorial_trapped_ions https://pennylane.ai/qml/demos/tutorial_sc_qubits

Want to learn more about what SandboxAQ does? Check out our blog: https://www.sandboxaq.com/blog

Want an video version of this podcast? Check it out at: https://youtu.be/dntGyI8DtYI

Welcome to season 2 of fAQ! For this season, Tai-Danae and Adam will be focusing on a single topic: What is actually happening inside a quantum computer? By the end of this season, you'll have a better understanding of the "how" of quantum computing. So get ready to go beyond the theory and dig into what's actually going on these machines that harness the fundamental forces of the universe! In this fourth episode, we dig into DiVincenzo's fourth criterion for functional quantum computers: "A universal set of quantum gates". What is a "gate"? How is superposition an example? For that matter, what is superposition, functionally? And how can we get qubits into superposition inside a trapped-ion quantum computer? Come along for the exciting ride in this supersized episode! Want to get in touch? Write us at faq-podcast@sandboxaq.com Host Bios: Tai-Danae Bradley is a research mathematician at SandboxAQ. She earned a PhD in mathematics from the CUNY Graduate Center and is creator of the mathematics blog, Math3ma, and a former cohost of PBS Infinite Series. Adam Green is the Head of Science Education at SandboxAQ. He earned a PhD in ecology and evolutionary biology from the University of Rochester and was the Director of US Academic Content at Khan Academy before joining Sandbox. Resources mentioned on this episode: https://pennylane.ai/qml/demos/tutorial_trapped_ions Want to learn more about what SandboxAQ does? Check out our blog: https://www.sandboxaq.com/blog Want an video version of this podcast? Check out: https://youtu.be/6KJKKmDEYSk

Welcome to season 2 of fAQ! For this season, Tai-Danae and Adam will be focusing on a single topic: What is actually happening inside a quantum computer? By the end of this season, you'll have a better understanding of the "how" of quantum computing. So get ready to go beyond the theory and dig into what's actually going on these machines that harness the fundamental forces of the universe! In this third episode, we dig into DiVincenzo's second criterion for functional quantum computers: "The ability to initialize the state of the qubits to a simple fiducial state". What does that mean? And do trapped ion quantum computers pass that test? What about superconducting quantum computers? And what to ukuleles have to do with this?! Want to get in touch? Write us at faq-podcast@sandboxaq.com Host Bios: Tai-Danae Bradley is a research mathematician at SandboxAQ. She earned a PhD in mathematics from the CUNY Graduate Center and is creator of the mathematics blog, Math3ma, and a former cohost of PBS Infinite Series. Adam Green is the Head of Science Education at SandboxAQ. He earned a PhD in ecology and evolutionary biology from the University of Rochester and was the Director of US Academic Content at Khan Academy before joining Sandbox. Resources mentioned on this episode: https://pennylane.ai/qml/demos/tutorial_trapped_ions https://www.wsfcs.k12.nc.us/cms/lib/NC01001395/Centricity/Domain/7788/Ch%206%20The-Quantum-Mechanical-Model-of-the-Atom.pdf.pdf Want to learn more about what SandboxAQ does? Check out our blog: https://www.sandboxaq.com/blog Want a video version of this podcast? Check it out here: https://youtu.be/JlRCid9QSqI

Welcome to season 2 of fAQ! For this season, Tai-Danae and Adam will be focusing on a single topic: What is actually happening inside a quantum computer? By the end of this season, you'll have a better understanding of the "how" of quantum computing. So get ready to go beyond the theory and dig into what's actually going on these machines that harness the fundamental forces of the universe!

In this second episode, we dig into DiVincenzo's first criterion for functional quantum computers: "A scalable physical system with well-characterized qubits". What does that mean? And do trapped ion quantum computers pass that test? And by the way, what's a trapped ion!? Learn about all of that and more...including a little something about Pringles!

Want to get in touch? Write us at faq-podcast@sandboxaq.com

Host Bios:

Tai-Danae Bradley is a research mathematician at SandboxAQ. She earned a PhD in mathematics from the CUNY Graduate Center and is creator of the mathematics blog, Math3ma, and a former cohost of PBS Infinite Series.

Adam Green is the Head of Science Education at SandboxAQ. He earned a PhD in ecology and evolutionary biology from the University of Rochester and was the Director of US Academic Content at Khan Academy before joining Sandbox.

Resources mentioned on this episode:

https://pennylane.ai/qml/demos/tutorial_trapped_ions

Want to learn more about what SandboxAQ does? Check out our blog: https://www.sandboxaq.com/blog

Want an video version of this podcast? Check it out on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Caarn3QECY8