Entangled Things

In Episode 24, Patrick and Ciprian speak with Dr. Steve Girvin of Yale University. The team discuss Quantum error correction, entanglement, superposition, and material science.After graduating in a high school class of 5 students in the small village of Brant Lake, NY and completing his undergraduate degree in physics from Bates College, Dr. Girvin earned his Ph.D. in theoretical physics from Princeton University in 1977. Dr. Steve Girvin joined the Yale faculty in 2001, where he is Eugene Higgins Professor of Physics and Professor of Applied Physics.  From 2007 to 2017 he served as Yale’s Deputy Provost for Research, overseeing strategic planning for research across Yale.  From 2019 to 2021, he served as founding director of the Co-Design Center for Quantum Advantage, one of five national quantum information science research centers funded by the Department of Energy.  Along with his experimenter colleagues Michel Devoret and Robert Schoelkopf, Professor Girvin co-developed ‘circuit QED,’ the leading architecture for construction of quantum computers based on superconducting microwave circuits.  Dr. Girvin is a Foreign Member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and Member of the US National Academy of Sciences.  In 2007, he and his collaborators, Allan H. MacDonald and James P. Eisenstein were awarded the Oliver E. Buckley Prize of the American Physical Society for their work on the fractional quantum Hall effect.   In 2019, he and coauthor Kun Yang published the textbook “Modern Condensed Matter Physics” with Cambridge University Press.https://girvin.sites.yale.edu/https://quantuminstitute.yale.edu/ https://www.bnl.gov/quantumcenter/ 

In Episode 23, Patrick and Ciprian speak with Steve Reinhardt of Quantum Computing Inc. The team discuss multidimensional graphs, optimization problems, and the strategy of exposing concepts in quantum computing to traditional users in familiar terms.Steve Reinhardt joined QCI in May 2019 to lead QCI’s development of quantum-ready applications and tools, with a focus on delivering differentiated performance using quantum concepts on classical computers and on hybrids of quantum and classical. He has nearly 40 years of senior level experience in software and hardware engineering, development, and innovation. He has built award-winning systems that delivered new levels of computational performance and analytic capability, yet were usable via conceptually simple interfaces. He has focused on graph analytics since 2003, developing graph-analytic core software and using it to solve end-user problems particularly in cybersecurity. Prior to joining QCI, he was director of software tools and later director of customer applications at D-Wave Systems, the world’s first commercial supplier of quantum computers. At D-Wave, he led teams involved in developing quantum computing tools like qbsolv and worked with customers to map out problems for effective execution on D-Wave’s quantum-annealing-based quantum computer. At YarcData/Cray, he led the implementation of key graph-analytic functions for their Urika graph engine and applied them to early customer analytics. This resulted in the Pittsburgh Supercomputer Center and YarcData winning the 2013 HPCwire Editors’ Choice Award for Best Application of Big Data in High Performance Computing. Previously, he served as vice president of joint research for Interactive Supercomputing Corp. (ISC), where he secured funding for projects to implement advanced graph-analytic capabilities in Star-P (distributed MATLAB). After Microsoft acquired ISC, he served as principal architect in charge of architecture and development of its Knowledge Discovery Toolkit for distributed graph-analysis, intended for use by subject-matter experts who are not graph-analytic experts. He also served as chief engineer at Silicon Graphics, where he led the development of Altix, a scalable shared-memory Linux-based system that generated revenue of more than $600 million. He earlier served as the project director for Cray Research’s Cray T3E, the first production distributed-memory supercomputer, which generated more than $700 million in revenue for Cray. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Yale University and Master of Biological Sciences with a minor in Bioinformatics from the University of Minnesota.

In today’s special episode, Patrick and Ciprian speak to Dr. Deborah Berebichez and Dr. Pekka Pursula from VTT Finland to celebrate their November 30th announcement of their development of a 5 qubit quantum computer. In this episode, they talk about the technology they picked and why, the advantages of superconducting technology, the competitive angle a 5 qubit quantum computer will give them, and what advancements this will help them make in quantum computing.Dr. Deborah Berebichez is a Lead Scientist in Microelectronics and Quantum Computing at VTT, one of Europe’s leading research institutes. Her responsibilities include setting the research agenda for VTT’s quantum computer and for its quantum-adjacent technologies. Her main focus is to build relationships with potential client companies who plan to use VTT’s quantum facilities to create innovative products. Deborah Berebichez is the first Mexican woman to graduate from Stanford University with a Ph.D. in Physics. Deborah’s work in quantum technologies is solidified by her academic background:Her physics Ph.D. adviser at Stanford was Nobel Laureate Bob Laughlin who discovered the fractional quantum Hall effect. She also worked with Nobel Laureate Steve Chu on cooling atoms with laser light. She completed two postdoctoral fellowships at Columbia University's Applied Math and Physics Department and at NYU's Courant Institute for Mathematical Sciences where she carried out research in the area of waves and optimization. She published in the area of photonics for quantum computing. Deborah’s work in science education and outreach has been recognized by the WSJ, Oprah, TED,DLD, WIRED, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and others.Dr. Pekka Pursula was born in Vantaa, Finland, in 1978. He received the M.Sc. degree (with distinction) and D.Sc.in technical physics from Aalto University, Helsinki, Finland, in 2002 and 2009, respectively. Since 2003 Dr. Pursula has been with the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland in several research and research management positions, where he is currently Research Manager in Microelectronics and Quantum Technologies. His interests include microelectronics, electronic components and system integration from RF and millimetre wave frequencies to THz, in addition to quantum technology in general. Between 2011 and 2016 he was also an adjunct professor of Electronics at Tampere University of Technology. In 2012 Dr. Pursula has been a visiting researcher at IMTEK Department of Microsystems Engineering at University of Freiburg, Germany in 2021 and at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California, USA in 2018. D.Sc. Pursula was the vice chair of IEEE MTT/AP/ED chapter in Finland 2014-2020. He received Microwave Prize at European Microwave Week, Nürnberg, October 8-13th 2017. He has authored and co-authored over 50 peer-reviewed journal and conference articles, and he is a co-inventor in 11 patent applications.

In Episode 21, Patrick and Ciprian speak with Dr. Todd Brun of the University of Southern California. Topics covered include the interdisciplinary nature of quantum computing, the importance of error correction and fault tolerance, and the narrowing gap between theory and experiment.Todd Brun is a Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Physics, and Computer Science at the University of Southern California.  He does research on quantum theory, especially on the problems of quantum computing and quantum information science.  Prof. Brun received his Ph.D. in Physics from Caltech in 1994, and did postdoctoral work at the University of London (Queen Mary and Westfield College), the Institute for Theoretical Physics in Santa Barbara, Carnegie Mellon University, and the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, before starting at USC in 2003.

In Episode 20, Patrick and Ciprian speak with Fred Chong of the University of Chicago. The team discuss the equivalent timelines between Quantum Computation and classical computing, the emergence of market opportunities for Quantum Computing, and the need to be ready for new disruptions as technologies continue to develop.Fred Chong is the Seymour Goodman Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Chicago and the Chief Scientist at Super.tech.  His work focuses on accelerating the timeline for practical quantum computing by developing software techniques that optimize for the physical properties of quantum hardware.  He leads the EPiQC Project (Enabling Practical-scale Quantum Computing), a $10M flagship national research project funded by the National Science Foundation's Expeditions in Computing program.  Chong received his Ph.D. from MIT in 1996 and is a recipient of the NSF CAREER award, the Intel Outstanding Researcher Award, and 10 best paper awards. 

In Episode 19, Patrick and Ciprian speak with Peter McMahon of Cornell University.Among other topics,  the team discuss from an academic perspective, the different ways to build a physical Quantum Computer and the qualifying characteristics of Quantum Computers according to the DiVincenzo criteria.Peter McMahon is an assistant professor in Applied and Engineering Physics at Cornell University. His lab researches the physics of computation, including quantum computing. He received his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University in 2014, and was a postdoctoral researcher in Applied Physics at Stanford until joining Cornell in 2019. Lab website: http://mcmahon.aep.cornell.edu 

Teaching a complex and vast topic such as Quantum Computing is a difficult task. Combining the right ingredients the right way is even more difficult. In Episode 19, Patrick and Ciprian debate over if and how topics like the postulates of quantum mechanics, the fundamental mathematical model, the qubits model, the algorithms, the gate vs. annealing approach, the development ecosystems, error correction, or building quantum hardware should be part of a one day workshop that introduces Quantum Computing. The outcomes of the discussion will not remain theoretical only, as Ciprian will apply them a real Quantum Computing workshop he will be delivering on December 10th at the Microsoft Azure + AI Conference in Las Vegas www.azureaiconf.com

In Episode 17, Patrick and Ciprian discuss how their views and understanding of the Quantum world have changed throughout the process of recording Entangled Things.Topics covered in this retrospective include the difficulties of translating quantum computing concepts into easily understood ways, market disruption, optimization, and material design.

In Episode 16, Patrick and Ciprian speak with Srinjoy Ganguly, author of Quantum Computing with Silq Programming. The team discuss the challenges of Quantum programming, the benefits of automatic decomputing, the future of machine learning in Quantum Computing, and the way that high level abstracted Quantum Computing languages will affect the landscape of Quantum programming. Srinjoy Ganguly is the founder & CEO of AdroitERA an EdTech firm which provides training on cutting edge technologies and IBM recognized Quantum Educator. He possesses a Masters in Quantum Computing Technologies from Technical University of Madrid, Spain and an MSc in Artificial Intelligence from University of Southampton, UK. He has over 4+ years of experience in Quantum Computing and 5+ years of experience in Machine Learning, Deep Learning, AI. He has completed research-based courses on 5G signal processing systems from IIT Kanpur. He led, mentored and taught Quantum Machine Learning (QML) study space at QResearch QWorld and authored a book on Quantum Computing with Silq Programming. He has conducted Faculty Development Training at IIIT Pune by special invitation, gave expert talks on QML at IEEE SPS and has conducted several webinars at various institutes related to QML and Quantum Computing. He has been specially appointed and invited by Woxsen University as a Visiting Faculty to teach Quantum Computing to MBA students. He has also supervised research interns on QNLP, ZX calculus and Quantum Music as a part of QIntern 2021. His research interests include Quantum Machine Learning, Quantum Natural Language Processing (QNLP), Graphical Calculus for Quantum Computing (ZX Calculus) and Quantum Image Processing. 

In Episode 15, Patrick and Ciprian speak with Dr. Andrew King of D-Wave Systems and Dr. Cristiano Nisoli of Los Alamos National Laboratory. This engaging conversation covers topics including artificial spin ice, nanomagnets, programmatic manipulation of quasiparticles, the new D-Wave Advantage Processor, and how Quantum developments can clarify our perception of fundamental physics.Dr. Andrew King is Director of Performance Research at D-Wave, the practical quantum computing company. His work on quantum annealing ranges from studying hybrid performance and applications of D-Wave processors to quantum simulation of magnetic spin systems. His recent research has demonstrated a computational scaling advantage over classical Monte Carlo methods in the quantum simulation of geometrically frustrated lattice, offering the clearest look yet at relaxation dynamics of an open quantum system on over a thousand Ising spins. Andrew received his Ph.D in Computer Science at McGill University and has been with D-Wave since 2013. Cristiano Nisoli is a theoretical physicist in the T-division at LANL, where he has been since 2008. He works on frustrated, artificial magnetic systems, so called artificial spin ices, of which his group has proposed various geometries which are then realized at the magnetic nanoscale or with trapped colloids or with skyrmions in liquid crystals. The idea behind the program is to generate new exotic emergent behaviors from the collective dynamics of binary variables, such as magnetic moments of nanoislands, or in this case qubits.