What's in a Name?

Why the acronym QIE (Quantum Information Extraction) in the name QIE Foundation.

Our brains function as quantum information extractors, in that they exploit the quantum behavior of matter to extract information from the data gathered by our sensors (eyes, ears, nose, skin, tongue). By extracting information from data, our brains give meaning to what we observe. We see a car, we hear a dog bark, we smell a flower, we feel the roughness of sandpaper, we taste an apple. Our senses collect enormous amounts of data, but our brain reduces the dimensionality of the data when extracting the information. Our eyes contain tens of millions of rods (91 million) and cones (4.5 million) to convert photons to electrical signals, each of which can update hundreds of times a second. But the information associated with a car lives in a low dimensional space. So making an individual effective in the application of STEM concepts requires shaping their brain to extract the essence of the situation as relates to the application. Thus, the name "QIE Foundation". Additionally, we have another reason for using the name "QIE Foundation", which relates to how quantum mechanics necessitates the need for mathematical maturity.

In 1900, Max Planck proposed the hypothesis that energy is radiated and absorbed in discrete "quanta" (or energy packets), kicking off the quantum revolution in physics. Though physicists built quantum mechanics using electromagnetic theory (Maxwell' Equations) as a guide, it became quickly apparent that many phenomena in quantum mechanics had no intuitive explanation. Indeed, Albert Einstein had difficulty with the concept of entanglement, which he called "spooky action at a distance." Since our intuition comes from observing macroscopic or aggregate behavior, however, understanding of microscopic behavior comes only through mathematics. So educating someone about quantum phenomenon requires educating them about mathematics. We have found that a lack of mathematical understanding often creates a stumbling block to other STEM subjects. Thus, one of our main precepts at the QIE Foundation involves first educating a student on the necessary mathematics before proceeding to a particular STEM subject.

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