Making Quantum Accessible: Creative Approaches to Outreach

Spotlight on Outreach in Quantum

At the Creative Quantum Seminar, hosted at THUAS on 21 November, one message stood out clearly: effective outreach is essential to making quantum technology accessible, tangible, and engaging for a wide audience. Outreach is not only about simplifying complex principles, but also about providing practical, hands-on experiences that spark genuine curiosity. The seminar’s workshops demonstrated how creativity and interaction can transform the way quantum concepts are shared with the public.

The morning programme featured a session by EduQation (Fontys) on using quantum games to communicate foundational principles in a fun and intuitive way, followed by a presentation from Laurens Feije (TU Delft) on combining art, photography and lesson materials to introduce quantum ideas in secondary schools. Together, these sessions illustrated the value of experimentation and visual storytelling in a learning environment.

In the afternoon, Michiel Thijssen (Leiden University) introduced Quantum Safari, a public outreach concept designed to inspire interest at science festivals and community events, while Carlos Errando Herranz (TU Delft; QuTech) demonstrated Qbeads, a hands-on method for exploring quantum behaviour through simple, physical interactions. Each workshop offered a distinct approach, yet all underscored the importance of bringing quantum education beyond specialised academic settings.

These sessions showed that quantum outreach flourishes when creativity meets practical application. From games and art to exhibitions and direct experimentation, the outreach community is expanding the ways in which society encounters quantum technology. The organisers extend their appreciation to all speakers and participants whose questions, enthusiasm and contributions continue to drive quantum knowledge forward and make the field more inclusive and engaging.

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