Team

Chris Heunen is an expert on quantum programming, especially structural approaches using category theory, algebra, and logic. Additionally, he works on foundational approaches to distributed quantum computing. His work has been awarded the 2012 Birkhoff-von Neumann prize, and has been recognised by NWO and EPSRC Fellowships.

Benedict Leimkuhler is a Professor of Applied Mathematics at the University of Edinburgh. His research specialises in numerical analysis, stochastic dynamics, and computational methods for molecular dynamics simulations. He has made significant contributions to the development of algorithms for simulating complex systems in physics and chemistry.

Erika Andersson obtained her PhD in 2000 from the Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden. She then held a Marie Curie Fellowship in the Department of Physics at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, followed by a Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship in the same department. She joined Heriot-Watt in October 2007 as a Lecturer, and was the first female professor of Physics at Heriot-Watt.

Viv Kendon is a physicist bringing together computational scientists and engineers with quantum computing experts to develop practical quantum algorithms. She is known for her work on quantum versions of random walks and their applications to quantum annealing and quantum optimisation problems. She leads the Collaborative Computational Project on Quantum Computing (CCP-QC) and is Theme co-lead for applications in the quantum technology Hub for Quantum Computing via Integrated and Interconnected Implementations (QCI3).

Aleks is an expert on quantum foundations and quantum software, and in particular classical and quantum causal inference, classical simulation of quantum circuits, and various aspects of quantum compilation such as quantum circuit synthesis, routing, and optimisation, particularly using graphical structures such as the ZX-calculus. He co-authored two books: Picturing Quantum Processes (a.k.a. “The Dodo Book”) and Picturing Quantum Software, which teach quantum theory and quantum software/compiling, respectively, from first principles using these methods.

Professor Mark Parsons is the Director of EPCC and the Dean of Research Computing within the College of Science and Engineering. He joined EPCC in 1994 as a software developer following a PhD in Particle Physics at CERN. Since 2016 he has led the development of the UK’s Exascale Supercomputer project.

Prof Green’s research focusses upon understanding many-body quantum phenomena and harnessing this understanding to develop improved quantum software. He deploys tools at the interface of quantum field theory and tensor networks. The latter generate highly efficient classical code that can be ported to quantum computers. He led the International Quantum Tensor Network (IQTN) whose mission was to foster the uptake of tensor network methods in quantum computing.

Luigi Del Debbio is a professor of theoretical physics, with a particular in the areas of quantum field theory and lattice gauge theories. Their research often explores the fundamental aspects of particle physics and the underlying structures of the universe. Their recent activity has focused on machine learning and quantum algorithms, and their applications to high-energy physics.

I am interested in the application of information theory and signal processing in quantum communication and computing. This includes quantum cryptography, distributed quantum computing, and quantum error correction. I enjoy working on a wide range of problems, from intricate information theoretic problems to developing algorithms for modelling realistic systems.

I explore broad range of platforms (photonic, superconducting, ion trap) with an integrated software research programme (simulation, modelling and verification) focusing on application design in quantum computing (machine learning) and in quantum networks (quantum cryptography, quantum cloud computing) in a certifable way (provable security, practical benchmarking, verification of computation).

Sophie Ramette is the Graduate School Manager at the School of Informatics at the University of Edinburgh. She is assisting CDT management until a full-time Centre Manager is recruited.

Responsible for the CDTs industrial relationships. Over 10 years of experience in academic and corporate R&D partnerships. Strengths in account management, IP & contracts management, grant proposals, and business development.