June Vanlerberghe

Why I Chose Duke Engineering

A big reason I chose Duke was because of the specific tracks you could choose to complete and customize your degree. The quantum computing track offered so many interesting courses that I was very excited to take! I specifically like that it requires you to take both hardware focused and software focused courses, ensuring you have knowledge across the computing stack. There is a good balance between courses you are able to choose and those you are required to take. The thesis option also allowed for the flexibility to do research as well as classes, which was very important to me. The Duke Quantum Center also stood out to me, because I liked that there was a centralized building where a lot of the quantum research takes place. 

Before Duke Engineering

Before coming to Duke, I did a Bachelor’s degree in engineering physics and a minor in computer science at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. After graduating, I worked as a software engineer for one year at IBM in Belgium. I knew almost immediately that I wanted to go back to school to learn more about quantum computing, something I had just started to learn about my senior year of undergrad. I wasn’t entirely sure about doing research so I applied to Master’s programs instead of jumping into a PhD program directly. 

After Duke Engineering

After graduating with my master’s, I will be staying at Duke as a PhD student in ECE. I really enjoyed doing research for my master’s thesis, so I knew I wanted to continue on to a PhD. I applied to many programs, but ultimately chose Duke again. The Duke Quantum Center has such a welcoming and collaborative environment, which makes me very excited to stay for my PhD.

5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting the Program

1. Go to office hours! Get to know your TAs and professor, they are great resources. Going to office hours just to do your homework even if you don’t have questions is also valuable.
2. Find a club or activity outside of school you enjoy. Taking breaks and doing things you enjoy is very important.
3. Read your emails. There are often fun events or free food every week!
4. Learn things deeply. Don’t simply do the assignments the easy way. Take advantage of these learning opportunities and make sure you fully understand concepts. 
5. Many courses are only offered once every two years rather than every year, so keep this in mind when planning out the courses you want to take.