Qiskit Fall FestConnecticut 2026
Meet the people building quantum in Connecticut. Learn Qiskit, the open-source SDK for quantum computing, from scratch. Then build something on real hardware. Free, and no experience needed.
IBM Quantum, Qiskit and Fall Fest
Four names get used a lot around this event. What each one is, and how they relate to each other.
IBM Quantum
IBM's quantum computing division. In 2016 they put a real quantum computer on the internet for anyone to use, which had never been done before. That is the anniversary this year's Fall Fest marks: ten years of quantum on the cloud.
Qiskit
IBM Quantum's open-source Python toolkit for writing quantum programs. Free, and the thing you will actually be typing on Saturday. If you can write basic Python, a quantum circuit is about five lines.
Qiskit Fall Fest
A global series of student-run quantum events that IBM Quantum supports each fall. Around 200 universities are taking part in 2026. Last year's edition drew more than 32,000 participants across 150 organizers worldwide.
Fall Fest Connecticut
This event. Connecticut's edition, hosted by UConn Quantum Computing at Storrs, and a Plus event in the 2026 program, listed by IBM Quantum directly. You do not need to be a UConn student to take part, and you do not need to have done any quantum computing before. Students, faculty and staff from any Connecticut college are welcome.
UConn Quantum Computing
A student organization at UConn Storrs for people who want to use quantum computers, not just read about them. Open to any UConn student, any major, whether or not you have written code before.
The three days
Each day removes a different reason not to come. Come to one, two, or all three, and nothing is a prerequisite for anything else. Thursday and Friday are short evening sessions you can join at Storrs or online. Saturday's hackathon is in person.
Meet
A keynote, then a careers and research panel with people from IBM Quantum, QuantumCT and UConn, followed by food and time to network with them.
- 6:00 PMDoors open, check-in, drinks and snacks
- 6:10 PMWelcome
- 6:20 PMKeynote
Dr. Sanguthevar RajasekaranDirector, UConn School of Computing - 6:45 PMCareers and research panel
Brian IngmansonIBM Quantum · UConn alum
Dr. Walter KrawecUConn Computer Science
Natasha HarrisQuantumCT
Dr. Alexander BalatskyUConn Physics - 7:25 PMFood, networking and setup helpBring your laptop for help with your IBM Quantum account or Qiskit install
- 8:45 PMWrap up
Learn
Quantum and Qiskit from scratch, your first circuit on a real quantum computer, and a talk from IBM Quantum on error correction and noise.
- 5:45 PMCheck-in opensOutside the room
- 6:00 PMDoors open, food, setup helpMissed Thursday? Get help with your IBM Quantum account and Qiskit install
- 6:15 PMQuantum and Qiskit 101UConn Quantum Computing
- 6:50 PMYour first quantum circuit, on real hardware
- 7:30 PMQiskit for error correction and noise
Dr. Francesco ValentiIBM Quantum - 8:10 PMHow to use qBraid (tentative)The platform you will use in Saturday’s hackathon
- 8:40 PMTeam formationCome without a team, leave with one
- 9:00 PMWrap up
Map
Build
The hackathon. Five and a half hours to build with organizers on hand all day, then demos and awards.
- 9:00 AMCheck-in and breakfast
- 9:30 AMChallenges revealedShort opening remarks, then 5 hours 30 minutes to build
- 12:30 PMLunchGrab it and keep building
- 1:15 PMOrganizer office hours
- 3:00 PMSubmissions close, demos beginAbout four minutes per team
- 4:00 PMJudges decide, group photo, swag
- 4:30 PMAwards
- 4:45 PMWrap up
Coming in person Thursday and Friday can be joined from anywhere, so you only need to reach Storrs for Saturday. Being on campus is worth it though: free food on all three days, the people working in quantum in Connecticut in the room with you, and a chance to pick up IBM Quantum swag.
Joining online Thursday and Friday are streamed. The link goes out in our Discord and by email to everyone who registers. Saturday’s hackathon is in person only.
Who can attend?
Every major
Quantum computing will be applied by chemists, materials scientists, biologists and financial analysts at least as much as by programmers. If you are curious, you belong here.
Every college in Connecticut
A statewide event that happens to be hosted at UConn, open to students, faculty and staff alike. Thursday and Friday run online as well, so you only need to reach Storrs for Saturday.
Organizers
With special thanks to
Our Sponsors
Industry partners
Academic partners
Dr. Sanguthevar Rajasekaran
Director, School of Computing
Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor
Pratt & Whitney Chair Professor of CSE
Dr. Dmitri Kharzeev
Director, UConn Quantum Institute (incoming)
Professor, Department of Physics
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Want a head start?
Worth doing before you come
-
5 min
Make an IBM Quantum account
The one thing genuinely worth doing in advance. It is the account you will use on Friday to run a circuit on real hardware, and setting it up in the room wastes everyone's evening.
-
15 min
IBM Quantum Composer
Build a circuit by dragging gates onto wires. No code at all, and the quickest way to see what a quantum circuit actually is.
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30 min
Hello world in Qiskit
Your first Qiskit program end to end. If you can run Python, you can follow this one.
-
5 min
Make a qBraid account
Optional. Saturday's hackathon runs on qBraid, which gives you Qiskit in your browser with nothing to install. Friday's qBraid session walks you through it, but signing up first saves time.
If you want to go further
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Use a quantum computer today
Practical and short. What these machines can and cannot do right now, without the theory first.
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Basics of quantum information
The proper course: states, measurement, circuits, entanglement and teleportation. Start here if you want to understand why any of it works.
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Quantum computing in practice
Hands on, and the closest match to what Saturday will feel like.
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Getting started with qBraid Lab
A short tour of the browser notebook you will build in on Saturday.
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qBook
qBraid's interactive courses, from a first circuit up to algorithms like VQE and QAOA. Free to start, and it runs in the browser.
IBM's material is free to use, and qBraid is free to start. Already comfortable with circuits? Fundamentals of quantum algorithms is the one to take before the hackathon. Everything else lives at IBM Quantum Learning, Qiskit itself is on GitHub, and there is a lot of good explanation on the Qiskit YouTube channel.
Registration
Free, open to students, faculty and staff across Connecticut, and designed for people starting from zero.
RegisterSaturday's hackathon has limited capacity, so register early. Updates on Instagram and LinkedIn.
- Dates
- October 15–17, 2026
- Where
- UConn Storrs, with Thursday and Friday online too
- Cost
- Free, and food on all three days
- Experience
- None needed
- Saturday
- Spots are capped by room capacity, so register early if you want the hackathon
FAQ
The things people ask us most before registering.
Ask us anything, however basic. One of the organizers will get back to you.
Email usI know nothing about quantum computing. Is this really for me?
Yes, and specifically so. About half the spots at this event are held for people who have never studied quantum computing. Friday evening teaches you what you need, Saturday has work pitched squarely at complete beginners, and organizers are on hand all day.
Do I have to come to all three days?
No. Each day works on its own. Come Saturday only if that is all you can make, and plenty of people will. That said, Friday evening is the fastest route to arriving on Saturday ready to build, and it is where teams form.
Do I need a team?
No. Teams form on Friday evening, and we will match anyone who arrives on Saturday without one. You can also work solo.
I am not at UConn. Can I come?
Yes. This is a statewide event, and students, faculty and staff from any Connecticut college are welcome. Thursday and Friday can be joined online, so Saturday is the only day you need to get to Storrs for, and the registration form asks about that.
Can I take part online?
Thursday and Friday, yes. Both evenings are streamed, and the joining link goes out to everyone who registers. Saturday's hackathon runs in person at Storrs only, because the hands-on help, the demos, and the awards all happen in the room.
If you can make it to campus, do. Food is provided, the careers panel is much more useful when you can actually talk to the people on it, and there is a chance to pick up IBM Quantum swag.
What does it cost?
Nothing. Registration is free and there is free food on all three days.
What is Qiskit?
Qiskit is IBM's open-source Python toolkit for writing quantum programs. If you can write basic Python, you can write a quantum circuit in about five lines. If you cannot write Python yet, Friday will get you far enough.
Will there be prizes?
Yes, along with certificates of participation. As a Plus event there will also be a chance to pick up IBM Quantum swag. Details closer to the event.