Keynotes:

Keynote 1: Learning to measure: a new approach to variational quantum algorithms for near-term quantum computers by Sabrina Maniscalco, University of Helsinki, and Aalto University
Abstract: Variational quantum algorithms stand as the most promising approaches towards practical applications of near-term quantum computers [1,2]. However, these methodologies usually require a large number of measurements, which represents an important roadblock for future real-world applications. We introduce a novel approach to tackle this problem: a variational measurement scheme. We present an algorithm that optimises informationally complete POVMs on-the-fly in order to minimise the statistical fluctuations in the estimation of relevant cost functions. We use it in combination with the Variational Quantum Eigensolver to calculate ground-state energies of molecular Hamiltonians and show that it is competitive with state-of-the-art measurement reduction approaches. Our computational experiments further suggest a measurement scaling exponent below 2. We also highlight the potential of the informational completeness of the measurement outcomes by reusing the ground-state energy estimation data to perform reduced state tomography with high fidelity on the XX model spin chain [3].

[1] Jarrod R McClean, Jonathan Romero, Ryan Babbush, and Alan Aspuru-Guzik,“The theory of variational hybrid quantum-classical algorithms” New J. Phys. 18 023023 (2016).

[2] Abhinav Kandala, Antonio Mezzacapo, Kristan Temme, Maika Takita, Markus Brink, Jerry M. Chow, and Jay M. Gambetta, “Hardware-efficient variational quantum eigensolver for small molecules and quantum magnets,” Nature 549, 242, (2017).

[3] Guillermo García-Pérez, Matteo A. C. Rossi, Boris Sokolov, Elsi-Mari Borrelli, and Sabrina Maniscalco “Pairwise tomography networks for many-body quantum systems" Phys. Rev. Research 2, 023393 (2020).

Biography: Sabrina Maniscalco is the Professor of Quantum Information and Logic at the University of Helsinki, Finland, former Chair of Theoretical Physics at the University of Turku and an Adjunct Professor at Aalto University, Finland. She is the Vice Director of the Finnish Centre of Excellence for Quantum Technologies & serves on advisory and scientific boards of several institutions. Sabrina obtained her PhD at the University of Palermo (Italy) in 2004 and has held academic research positions around the world, in Sofia (Bulgaria), Durban (South Africa), Turku (Finland) and Edinburgh (UK). She returned to Finland in 2014 to lead the Theoretical Physics Laboratory in Turku. Sabrina has coordinated several international and interdisciplinary projects, and is recognised as one of the leading experts in Quantum Technologies. She loves inventing novel approaches to doing research, learning, and innovating, and believes in the power of "engineering synchronicity" and in the joys of good food, sauna, road-trips, and outdoor living and interestingly she is also an entrepreneur; as the CEO of Algorithmiq Oy, she is pioneering quantum algorithms to tackle complex problems in life sciences. Her passion for outreach led her to co-create QPlayLearn, www.qplaylearn.com, an online platform to teach quantum science and technologies to everyone.

Keynote 2: Verification of Quantum Programs by Mingsheng Ying, University of Technology Sydney, Australia

Abstract: In this talk, I'll mainly discuss the program logic approach to verification of quantum programs, including quantum Hoare logic, invariant generation and termination analysis for quantum programs. I'll also briefly discuss potential applications of model checking for verification and debugging of quantum programs. Some problems for future research will be proposed at the end of the paper.

Biography: Mingsheng Ying is a Distinguished Professor and Research Director of the Center for Quantum Software and Inform- ation at the University of Technology Sydney, Australia. He is also Deputy Director for Research at the Institute of Software at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and holds the Cheung Kong Chair Professorship at Tsinghua University, China. His research interests include quantum computation, theory of programming languages, and logics in AI. He has published books: Model Checking Quantum Systems: Principles and Algorithms (2021) (with Yuan Feng), Foundations of Quantum Programming (2016) and Topology in Process Calculus: Approximate Correct- ness and Infinite Evolution of Concurrent Programs (2001). He received a China National Science Award in Natural Science (2008). He has served on the editorial board of several publications including Artificial Intelligence Journal. He is currently (Co)Editor-in-Chief of ACM Transactions on Quantum Computing.

The tentative program is below. Times are in CEST:

June 1, 2021

1400-1415: Welcome by Rui Abreu, Shaukat Ali, Tao Yue

1415-1515: Keynote by Sabrina Maniscalco; Session Chair: Shaukat Ali

1520-1650: Modeling; Session Chair: Tao Yue

Exman and A.T. Shmilovich, Quantum Software Models: The Density Matrix for Classical & Quantum Software Systems Design

R. Pérez-Castillo, L. Jiménez-Navajas and M. Piattini, Modelling Quantum Circuits with UML

F. Gemeinhardt, A. Garmendia and M. Wimmer, Towards Model-Driven Quantum Software Engineering

1700-1800: Search; Session Chair: Rui Abreu

P. Olivieri, M. Askarpour and E. Di Nitto, Experimenting with Discrete Time Quantum Walk;

A. Sequeira, L.P. Santos and L.S. Barbosa, Generalised Quantum Tree Search.

June 2, 2021

1300-1400: Keynote by Mingsheng Ying; Session Chair: Tao Yue

1415-1545: Quality; Session Chair: Rui Abreu

P. Zhao, J. Zhao and L. Ma, Identifying Bug Patterns in Quantum Programs;

J. Zhao, Some Size and Structure Metrics for Quantum Software;

J. Campos and A. Souto, QBugs: A Collection of Reproducible Bugs in Quantum Algorithms and a Supporting Infrastructure to Enable Controlled Quantum Software Testing and Debugging Experiments.

1545 to 1700: Open Discussion