Kevin Qian of Montgomery Blair High School placed 2nd in the Physics and Astronomy category at the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) 2019 with his research topic “Heisenberg-Scaling Measurement Protocol for Analytic Functions with Quantum Sensor Networks.” Qian worked with Adjunct Associate Professor Alexey Gorshkov and graduate student researcher Zachary Eldredge in the University of Maryland Department of Physics, the Joint Quantum Institute (JQI), and the Joint Center for Quantum Information and Computer Science (QuICS).

ISEF 2019 was held by Society for Science & the Public, in partnership with the Intel Foundation. Participants are ninth through twelfth graders who won a top prize at a local, regional, state or national science fair.

Prior to his ISEF 2nd place win, Qian was selected as one of 40 Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS) Finalists and, before that, a Regeneron STS 2019 Scholar. The Regeneron STS 2019 Scholars were selected from a field of 1,964 high school seniors competing in science and math.

With his quantum metrology research project, Qian created an optimal method to measure any function of certain physical parameters (such as electric or magnetic fields) as accurately as possible. “I was very lucky to have Professor Gorshkov and Zachary Eldredge as mentors, both of whom were extremely supportive of me throughout my time at JQI,” says Qian.

Qian is a senior at Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring, Maryland. He plans to attend MIT in the fall.