Abstract: 

In these lectures, we will review the experimentally feasible algorithmic state-of-the-art quantum computation, namely the Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum algorithms (NISQ). Current quantum computers are composed of a few qubits that perform imperfect operations. The goal of NISQ algorithms is to leverage the limited available resources to perform classically challenging tasks, paving the way towards the long-awaited Fault-Tolerant quantum computation while seeking short and medium-term applications. NISQ algorithms present several challenges, both from experimental and theoretical points of view. We will review some of these challenges and learn the basics and applications of one of the leading representatives of NISQ: the Variational Quantum Algorithms.

Note: no quantum computing experience will be required to follow these lectures. We will start with a brief introduction to quantum computing concepts.

About the trainer

Biography:

Alba Cervera-Lierta is a Senior Researcher at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC). She earned her PhD in 2019 at the University of Barcelona, where she studied her physics degree and an MSc in particle physics. After her PhD, she moved to the University of Toronto as a postdoctoral fellow at the Alán Aspuru-Guizik group. She works on near-term quantum algorithms and their applications, high-dimensional quantum computation, and artificial intelligence strategies in quantum physics. She is the Quantum Spain project coordinator, an initiative to boost the Spanish quantum computing ecosystem by exploring quantum computing AI applications and by installing a quantum computer at the BSC for public use.