This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to intern with the Qiskit Functions team in IBM Quantum!
I could probably write an entire post just about everything I learned this summer, but I also want to share something a little more personal.
Applying for an internship at IBM Quantum, I genuinely never imagined I would get it. From receiving my offer until my first day, there was a small part of me convinced that eventually someone would realize they had mistaken me for someone else.
On my first day, I remember sitting with the other interns waiting for our managers. When my manager, David García, walked over and welcomed us, I remember thinking, Okay… maybe they really didn’t make a mistake.
Over the summer, I had the opportunity to build a benchmarking suite for the Qiskit Functions. Along the way, I learned so much about the functions, Qiskit, quantum computing, software engineering, and research. More importantly, I had the chance to work alongside incredibly talented people and learn from their different perspectives, experiences, and areas of expertise.
A special thank you to my manager, David García, for being so supportive and encouraging, creating an environment where I felt comfortable challenging myself, and for all the advice you shared along the way.
Thank you to my mentor, Paco Martín Fernández, for helping to make this experience possible and for all of your guidance and support. I really appreciated having you there to help me navigate through the internship and grow throughout the summer.
Thank you to my mentor, Junye Huang, for helping guide my project and always taking the time to share your suggestions and ideas. Building on your feedback taught me so much and made the project that much more meaningful.
And thank you to my fellow interns, Parth Danve, David Zhao, and Samiullah Khan Badal Khan, for making the summer so much fun. I’m so glad I got to share this experience with you all, and I’ll be improving my ping pong skills for our next match!!
Finally, thank you to everyone else on the team who welcomed me, answered my many questions, and shared your work with me. Your enthusiasm for what you do is contagious, and I’m incredibly grateful to have learned from all of you.
I came into this internship wondering whether I belonged here. I’m leaving with so much more knowledge, confidence, curiosity, and excitement about what I want to learn next.
I truly couldn’t have asked for a better internship experience. Thank you, IBM, for taking a chance on me and for an unforgettable summer! 💙💙