San Francisco State University is the first California State University (CSU) campus to join the IBM Quantum Network, expanding opportunities for SFSU students and researchers to participate in quantum computing research and deepening classroom experiences. 

Student researchers working with Computer Science Professor Wes Bethel — who leads the Department of Computer Science’s quantum computing work — can gain access to IBM quantum computing systems through two key Department of Energy (DOE)-supported initiatives at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). ORNL and LBNL are IBM Quantum Innovation Centers within the IBM Quantum Network. By having access to the IBM Quantum Network, Bethel hopes to provide some of his engaged students a new pathway to delve deeper into this field.

In addition to working with students on DOE-supported research projects, Bethel also teaches “CSC 647/747: Introduction to Quantum Computing and Quantum Information Science” where he uses various freely available resources to introduce quantum computing. 

Former SFSU student and current LBNL computer systems engineer Chris Pestano (M.S., ’25) explained that he pursued a career in quantum computing because “within the next 10 to 15 years, you should be expecting a lot of major breakthroughs. I thought that’d be interesting to be a part of. That also provides a decent amount of job security.” 

Bethel hopes to help more students join the quantum computing pipeline.

“What we’re doing is workforce development for quantum computing,” Bethel said. “We need people who are capable and know what quantum computing is, how do you write codes for it, how is quantum computing different from classical computing, what are the challenges and software ideas.”

Having access to quantum computing resources through these DOE projects gives SFSU computer scientists, researchers and other students hands-on experience to contribute to the rapid progress to the nascent technology and emerging industy.

“The trick is you need access to real quantum computing hardware. These are not things you can buy off the shelf,” Bethel explained.

He was able to apply and receive access to the IBM Quantum Network due to a DOE grant he received last year that funds his quantum computing research. It is part of a multi-institutional grant led by Talita Perciano at LBNL, that includes Bethel at SFSU and researchers at Argonne National Laboratory and is sponsored by DOE’s Office of Advanced Scientific Computing Research.

DOE facilitates agreements so supercomputing centers (ORNL’s Quantum Computing User Program and LBNL’s National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center’s Quantum Computing Application Network) have access to high-end IBM quantum hardware. To apply for access, researchers like Bethel must be DOE-funded.

Over the past few years, Bethel has led efforts in the Computer Science department to develop and expand their quantum computing offerings. He’s already had a few graduate students like Pestano who pursued quantum computing-related work or studies after graduation. 

“One of the things he pointed out was that quantum computing is at the stage that’s comparable to modern-day computers post-World War II. He essentially said you’d be going in at the [field’s] infancy.” Pestano said. This idea was exciting to him. 

When Pestano started at SFSU, he wasn’t settled on a specific computer science career path. After enjoying Bethel’s graduate-level high-performance computing class, Pestano signed up for his quantum computing class. This naturally led to doing a master’s thesis with Bethel, he explains, noting that this was his first formal research experience. The project allowed Pestano to collaborate with and impress LBNL researchers. He was offered a job to continue his quantum computing work at the national lab. 

“I think it’s not only important to have these connections but also have the proactivity and will to bring that for the students. I think that’s why I liked Dr. Bethel’s class so much,” Pestano added. “He was able to bring in speakers that are currently in industry or in research that he knows. One of the members on my current team actually stopped by as a speaker in the quantum class.”

Bethel previously worked at LBNL as a computer scientist and is still an LBNL research affiliate. His interest in quantum computing began long before he was at SFSU, so he’s determined to help develop SFSU’s footprint in this space and prepare more students like Pestano. 

“From a student perspective, the program we have at San Francisco State is an entry point to a whole universe of technology and jobs and opportunities that have not been present before,” he said.

Learn more about SFSU’s Department of Computer Science.