Community

QIST Membership & Ecosystem

A global community advancing secure automated computation, quantum information science, and interoperable intelligent technologies.

The QIST Foundation invites students, researchers, engineers, institutions, and global contributors to join a mission-driven ecosystem shaping the future of quantum-aware, secure, and autonomous digital infrastructure.

QIST Membership is open to all, from young learners to senior researchers, through structured pathways designed to empower education, research, collaboration, and real-world impact.

Whether you are solving your first quantum puzzle at 13 or leading a research group, there is a clear path into the QIST ecosystem.

Every member will receive a digital QIST Membership Card that recognizes your role — from Youth Member to Scientific Fellow.

Digital Membership Cards

These examples show how QIST digital membership cards will appear for different tiers as the ecosystem and certification system come online.

Community + Student & Youth Card

QIST Foundation

Digital Membership Card

Name

Alex Example

Tier

Student Member

QIST Levels 1–3 · Youth & Tier 0 track

Levels 1–3Community & Student & Youth Membership

QIST ID: QIST-STU-000001

Issued: 2025 · Version 1.0

Independent Nonprofit Research Initiative · qist.foundation

Contributor + Professional Card

QIST Foundation

Digital Membership Card

Name

Jordan Example

Tier

Professional Member

QIST Levels 3–5 · Professional track

Levels 3–5Contributor & Professional Membership

QIST ID: QIST-PRO-000001

Issued: 2025 · Version 1.0

Independent Nonprofit Research Initiative · qist.foundation

Institutional Card

QIST Foundation

Digital Membership Card

Name

Institution Example

Tier

Institutional Member

QIST Levels 4–7 · Institutional membership & partnership track

Levels 4–7Institutional Membership & Partnerships

QIST ID: QIST-ORG-000001

Issued: 2025 · Version 1.0

Independent Nonprofit Research Initiative · qist.foundation

Research Fellows & Scientific Members Card

QIST Foundation

Digital Membership Card

Name

Dr. Ada Example

Tier

Research Fellow & Scientific Member

QIST Levels 4–7 · Research fellow & scientific leadership

Levels 4–7Research Fellow & Scientific Member

QIST ID: QIST-RF-000001

Issued: 2025 · Version 1.0

Independent Nonprofit Research Initiative · qist.foundation

Ecosystem Overview

The QIST ecosystem is composed of interconnected roles and communities.

Members
Contributors
Researchers and Fellows

Developer Cohorts
Working Groups
Institutions and Universities

Industry Partners
Youth and Student Networks
Ambassadors and Volunteers

Together, they form a global network committed to advancing secure computation, quantum era systems, and interoperable intelligent technologies.

Pathways to Becoming a QIST Member

QIST offers five membership pathways, each matching a different level of experience and commitment.

Many people will start as Community Members, become Contributors, and later qualify as Professional Members or Research Fellows.

Community Membership

Open to everyone

Cost: Free

Eligibility: Anyone worldwide, no technical background required.

No prior experience or credentials required — curiosity is enough.

Welcome kit and digital membership card
Access to QIST Open Learning resources
QIST public events and open lectures
Monthly research digest and newsletter
Access to community forums, chat, and live questions
Early announcements for programs and grants

Recognition: QIST Community Member

Recommended certifications (upcoming): QIST Junior Explorer (QJE) and general-track foundations for curious learners of any age.

Good starting point: Tier 0 general tracks (QGQ, QGA, QGB, QGC, QGR).

Action: Start as a Community Member (free, upcoming).

Student and Youth Membership

Ages 13 to 25

Cost: Free or symbolic

Eligibility: Students and early researchers interested in quantum, artificial intelligence, cryptography, or engineering.

Designed for learners who are still discovering what they love.

Student workshops and labs
Mentorship circles with QIST researchers
Entry to QIST student challenges
Internship and research opportunities
Career guidance in computing, AI, quantum, and security

Recognition: QIST Student Member

Optional role: QIST Student Ambassador.

Recommended certifications (upcoming): QIST Junior Explorer (QJE), QIST Youth Apprentice (QYA), and Tier 0 topic-focused general tracks such as Quantum Foundations (QGQ) and AI & Autonomy (QGA).

Action: Pre-register as a Youth Member (upcoming).

Contributor Membership

Code and research

Cost: Free

Eligibility: Anyone contributing to QIST open source or research work.

You do not need to be an expert; we will help you find small, safe ways to begin.

Contributor onboarding and training
Access to private contributor communication channels
Invitations to contributor research calls
Contributor listings on the QIST website
Opportunities to co author working drafts and specifications
Priority for funding, grants, and research support

Recognition: QIST Contributor and listing in the QIST contributor registry.

Recommended certifications (upcoming): QIST Certified Associate (QCA) as a foundation, with QIST Certified Professional (QCP) as a longer-term milestone.

Action: See how to contribute in under 30 minutes (upcoming).

Professional Membership

Practitioners

Cost: 99 USD per year, with flexibility during early foundation building.

Eligibility: Engineers, researchers, industry practitioners, cybersecurity professionals, and academics.

Ideal if you already work in security, cryptography, AI, or systems engineering and want structured engagement with QIST.

Access to professional seminars and briefings
Pre release technical standards and specifications
Access to professional working groups
Ability to propose research threads and collaborations
Voting rights in selected technical committees
Networking with global experts in PQC, AI safety, and trust systems

Recognition: Professional member of the QIST Foundation and eligibility for future certification pathways.

Recommended certifications (upcoming): QIST Certified Professional (QCP) plus specialist tracks in PQC (QCS-PQC), AI Safety & Agent Oversight (QCS-AIS), or Autonomous & Secure Systems (QCS-AUT) depending on your focus.

Action: Register your interest as a Professional Member (upcoming).

Research Fellows and Scientific Members

Invitation

Cost: Determined by program structure and institutional support.

Eligibility: Advanced researchers, postdoctoral scholars, faculty, senior engineers, and principal investigators.

Ability to lead research groups and cohorts
Access to internal scientific forums and reviews
Publication support for QIST research papers
Opportunities to co develop international standards
Collaboration with universities and laboratories
Eligibility for roles in the Research Oversight Board

Recognition: QIST Research Fellow with profile listed on the QIST Foundation website.

Recognized as part of a small global cohort of Scientific Members stewarding QIST's research agenda.

Recommended certifications (upcoming): QIST Certified Research Fellow (QCRF) with potential frontier specialist tracks in cognitive data exchange, neural-interface systems, or self-evolving compute.

Action: Express interest in future Fellow calls via QIST contact channels (upcoming).

Institutional Membership

Institutional membership is designed for organizations that want to collaborate with QIST at scale.

QIST Foundation is an independent nonprofit research initiative, not a vendor. Institutional membership focuses on de-risking, documented practice, and shared standards — not product sales.

Academic Partner

Universities, research laboratories, and academic programs in quantum information science, cryptography, and artificial intelligence.

Joint research programs and co supervised projects
Curriculum support and guest lectures
Student exchanges and mentorship channels
Access to QIST research grants and fellowships
Co-develop risk-reduction roadmaps you can share with boards, regulators, and funders.

Industry Partner

Deep technology companies, enterprises, and private research and development organizations.

Applied research and pilot deployments
Standards adoption and best practice alignment
Secure infrastructure testing and reviews
Co development of production programs
Co-develop risk-reduction roadmaps you can share with boards, regulators, and funders.

Strategic Institutional Member

Government agencies, sovereign compute initiatives, and national or regional laboratories.

Joint post quantum migration planning
Technical advisory access and guidance
Infrastructure level collaboration
Participation in international research coalitions
Co-develop risk-reduction roadmaps you can share with boards, regulators, and funders.

Working Groups

QIST operates specialized working groups that are open to members, contributors, and fellows.

Post Quantum Cryptography migration and key infrastructure
Autonomous systems verification
Quantum safe identity and trust
Distributed governance and policy

Artificial intelligence safety and agent oversight
Applied cryptography and interoperability
Youth and education

Outputs include standards drafts, research papers, reference architectures, and governance models.

Membership badges

QIST

Membership

Community

Member

Level 1

QIST

Membership

Student & Youth

Member

Levels 1–3

QIST

Membership

Contributor & Professional

Member

Levels 3–5

QIST

Membership

Institutional

Member

Levels 4–7

QIST

Membership

Research Fellow & Scientific

Member

Level 6

Over time, your membership tier and your highest QIST certification level will align — from Community Member at Level 1 to Research Fellow at Level 6 and beyond.

Contributor Pathways

Contributors can join through three primary pathways.

Path A, Code Contributor

Work on QIST technology stacks.

AIOS
QSIG
QNSP
DDIP
Tunnel
IACC
Profy
WAHH

Path B, Research Contributor

Participate in foundational and applied research.

Post quantum cryptography analysis
Autonomous system modeling
Artificial intelligence safety theory
Trust graph formalization

Path C, Standards Contributor

Contribute to governance and specification work.

QIST specifications and technical standards
Governance models and oversight frameworks
Compliance and assurance structures

Youth and Education Programs

QIST invests in building the next generation of secure computation leaders.

Quantum puzzles and introductory exercises
Post quantum cryptography laboratories
Artificial intelligence autonomy safety games
Engineering workshops and build sessions
Secure systems learning kits
Guides and resources for teachers and educators

Our long-term goal is to help a 13-year-old who solves their first quantum puzzle grow into a Scientific Member shaping international standards.

Ambassador Program

Ambassadors represent QIST globally and help cultivate local ecosystems.

Lead local meetups and reading groups
Host workshops and introductory sessions
Promote QIST research and publications
Translate materials into local languages
Mentor students and early contributors
Support partnership discussions and outreach

Recognition includes an ambassador badge and periodic spotlights on QIST communication channels.

Volunteer Program

QIST welcomes volunteers who want to contribute in non technical ways and help scale the ecosystem.

Event logistics and onsite support
Educational and workshop assistance
Online moderation and community support
Content creation and communications
Outreach and promotion activities

Recognition can include certificates and letters documenting service and contributions.

Why Membership Matters

Membership signals to peers and institutions that you belong to a global community dedicated to secure computation and quantum-era infrastructure.

Shared language and standards for post-quantum cryptography, AI safety, and trust systems.
Recognition and belonging across research, industry, and public-interest communities.
Safer, better-documented adoption paths for autonomous and quantum-aware systems.

Early interest from:

University research groups exploring post-quantum cryptography and AI safety.
Deep-tech startups building secure autonomy and finance systems.
Public-interest digital infrastructure and civic technology initiatives.

Ecosystem Impact

The QIST ecosystem is designed to strengthen scientific collaboration, accelerate post quantum cryptography migration, and support secure adoption of artificial intelligence.