SC15 Invited Talk Spotlight: Simulation and Compilation of Quantum Algorithms

First Majorana experiment (from Leo Kouwenhoven, TU Delft).

Speaker: Dave Wecker, Microsoft

The LIQUi|⟩ architecture (from the paper: http://arxiv.org/abs/1402.4467).

Languages, compilers, and computer-aided design tools will be essential for scalable quantum computing, which promises an exponential leap in our ability to execute complex tasks. LIQUi|> and SoLi|> provide a modular software architecture for the simulation of quantum algorithms and control of quantum hardware.

They provide a high level interface and are independent of a specific quantum architecture. This talk will focus on simulation of quantum algorithms in Quantum Chemistry and Materials as well as Factoring, Quantum Error Correction and compilation for hardware implementations.

Dave Wecker in Chris Palmstrom's UCSB lab.

Speaker background:
Wecker came to Microsoft in 1995 and helped create the "Blender" (digital video post-production facility). He designed and worked on a Broadband MSN offering when he became architect for the Handheld PC v1 & v2 as well as AutoPC v1 and Pocket PC v1. He moved to Intelligent Interface Technology and resurrected SHRDLU for Natural Language research as well as building a state of the art Neural Network based Speech Recognition system.

For the Mobile Devices Division he implemented secure DRM on e-books and Pocket PCs. He created and was director of ePeriodicals before taking on the role of Architect for Emerging Technologies. This led to starting the Machine Learning Incubation Team and then architect for Parallel Computing Technology Strategy working on Big Data and now Quantum Computing. He has over 20 patents for Microsoft and 9 Ship-It awards. He started coding professionally in 1973, worked in the AI labs at CMU while obtaining a BSEE and MSIA and was at DEC for 13 years (ask him about DIDDLY sometime ;).


This is the first episode in a series providing you with details behind the SC15 Invited Talks Program.