Student Spotlight: Dane Thompson

Dane Thompson

Dane is pursuing a degree in Computer Science at Penn State, with minors in Engineering Leadership Development and Cybersecurity Computational Foundations. His PIPELINE project, Quantum Algorithms, focused on designing a quantum algorithm and circuit for cross-correlation in quantum LiDAR signal processing. Using rotational encoding to represent time-delay information inside quantum states, Dane modeled photonic return patterns and applied quantum cross-correlation to extract timing offsets. This work helps support more precise mapping of delays between return signals.

: Dane is originally from upstate New York near the Pennsylvania border, Dane enjoys staying active outside of class through skiing, rock climbing, and weightlifting.
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: Dane stays involved in several organizations that support both his technical and professional growth. Through the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), he explores computing beyond the classroom and continues building his problem-solving skills. He’s also part of the Engineering Leadership Society, where he develops leadership and teamwork experience, along with the IST Career Development Organization and the Website Development Club, which give him opportunities to network, build practical skills, and learn more about different career paths.
: One of Dane’s favorite parts of the summer was getting to dive deeper into quantum algorithms, and he also enjoyed visiting Washington, D.C., including touring the Pentagon and seeing major landmarks for the first time. Overall, this experience gave him valuable technical experience and opened up new possibilities for both future careers and graduate school.

Through PIPELINE, Dane also gained the opportunity to work with Pratt & Whitney in the summer of 2026.

His advice to other interns:

"Ask questions early and often. Taking initiative, seeking feedback, and communicating clearly with your team helps you learn faster and ensures you’re contributing meaningful work."

Student Spotlight: Dane Thompson

His advice to other interns:

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