Outline:

The growing attention towards Quantum Computing and Quantum Simulations in academia and industry is leading to an increased attention to educate and train more students in this matter. In this context, learning not only the theory behind but also the tools needed to solve computational problems is extremely important for the students that want to work in this field. This Spring School is meant to cover (not exhaustively) both theory and tools to build that core knowledge needed for moving the first steps of a career in Quantum Computing & Simulations.

The program includes a 2-day hands-on workshop led by researchers from ICFO and IBM Quantum aimed at introducing students and researchers to several open-source tools, and their use in cutting-edge research, followed by a 1-day symposium with researchers from ICFO, IBM Quantum and invited speakers from the wider research community sharing their latest research results. 

The school is offered as a pilot activity within the framework of the DigiQ - Digitally Enhanced Quantum Technology Master, a new European initiative financed through the European Commission’s Digital Europe Programme. 

The school is aimed at Masters students, PhD students and researchers in the field who are interested in familiarizing themselves with the use of these tools in a cutting-edge research environment. 

Program:

Day 1, Wednesday 29 March: Open-Source Software for Quantum Information

• General quantum computing frameworks (Qiskit) 
• Hardware implementations (superconducting qubits & open-pulse) 

Day 2, Thursday 30 March: Research with Open-Source Quantum Computing Tools

• Quantum info packages (Qiskit Quantum-info / Dynamics) 
• Quantum computing applications (QML, Optimization & Simulations) 

Day 3, Friday 31 March: Symposium on Open-Source Tools for Quantum Computing & Simulation

Confirmed speakers include: 

• Darío Gil, IBM
• Elisa Bäumer, IBM 
• Antonio Acín, ICFO 
• Michele Grossi, CERN 
• Almudena Carrera Vazquez, IBM 
• Philipp Hauke, University of Trento 
• Alba Cervera Lierta, BSC 
• Annabelle Bohrdt, Harvard University
• Zoe Holmes, EPFL
• Sarah Hirthe, ICFO
• Fabian Grusdt, LMU

The school will also be followed by a hackathon organized by IBM Quantum, the Quantum Barcelona Community, & ICFO in Barcelona the weekend of 1-2 April. 

There are limited places available for both the workshop and the symposium. Preference will be given to Masters students.

Registration:

The registration is open to attend the workshop (in person at ICFO, on March 29-30) and/or the Symposium (in person or online, on March 31).

The deadline for registration to the school is Friday 10 March 2023.

Travel Fellowships:

We will offer up to 10 travel fellowships for Masters Students interested in attending the school. The fellowships will include reimbursement of travel expenses of up to €350 and accommodation for 4 nights at a local hotel. 

To benefit from a fellowship, you must be currently enrolled in a master program. Priority will be given to students enrolled in a master program at one the partner institutions in the DigiQ - Digitally Enhanced Quantum Technology Master. 

All required application material must be complete in order to be considered. We reserve the right to revoke the fellowship if any of the requested information is false or incorrect. 

The deadline for applications for travel fellowships is Friday 10 March 2023. 

Applicants will be notified the results the week of 13 March 2023. 

Participating institutions: 

• ICFO – the Institute of Photonic Sciences, is a young research institution that aims to advance the very limits of the science and technology of light, tackling important challenges faced by society at large in all areas of life, including health, energy, information, safety, security and caring for the environment. ICFO is a member of BIST, the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology. More information about ICFO can be found here. 
• IBM Quantum is an industry leader in quantum computing, working everyday towards achieving quantum advantage. IBM’s full-stack approach delivers the best of IBM’s quantum computing systems together with the most complete suite of quantum software tools and cloud services. Learn, develop, and run programs with quantum applications and systems through cloud access to the most advanced quantum computers available. Learn more here
• DigiQ (Digitally Enhanced Quantum Technology Master), a new European initiative coordinated by the University of Aarhus (DK), aims to drive transformation of the education ecosystem by introducing a number of educational innovations and a multinational programme structure to prepare the workforce and talent for future quantum technologies. It is funded by a €17.6 million grant over four years through the European Commission’s Digital Europe Programme. Twenty universities from ten European countries will participate in DigiQ, including partners from the Master in Quantum Science and Technology Barcelona, coordinated by the University of Barcelona.

Organization:

• Fabio Scafirimuto and Albert García (IBM) 
• Rob Sewell, Joana Fraxanet Morales, Paolo Stornati, Pedro Cruz, Borja Requena and Gabriel Fernandez Fernández (ICFO) 
• Antonio Acín, Leticia Tarruell and Maciej Lewenstein (ICFO)

Sponsorship & Acknowledgements:

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Digital Europe Programme under grant agreement no. 101084035

The school is sponsored by IBM Quantum, an industry leader in quantum computing, working everyday towards achieving quantum advantage.