An introduction to quantum computing and software for physics applications

The past decade has seen massive advances in the development of quantum computing hardware and software. Simulation of quantum systems is a key use-case and researchers are developing many proof-of-concept applications across the spectrum of physical sciences. However, scaling up to realistic calculations that can push the boundaries of physics remains a major challenge. This talk will begin with an overview of the current state of quantum computing, with the intention of demystifying the technology, cutting through the hype, and setting realistic expectations in the near term. I will then highlight areas of physics, including some of our recent work on nuclear theory, where quantum computing has been applied to successfully solve toy problems. I will show examples of what it looks like to implement these algorithms using quantum software. The talk will close with a forward-looking discussion of resource estimation and the challenges in scaling and error correction that the field is currently tackling.

Olivia Di Matteo is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at UBC, and a Tier II Canada Research Chair in Quantum Software and Algorithms. She obtained her PhD at the University of Waterloo and Institute for Quantum Computing in 2019 in Physics (Quantum Information). Following her PhD she worked as a Quantum Information Science Associate at TRIUMF, and as a Quantum Computing Educator and Researcher at the Toronto-based startup Xanadu. Her interests are quantum circuits and compilation, applying quantum algorithms to solve physics problem, and developing open-source software and educational materials.