The impact of quantum computing

Daniel Lidar, University of Southern California Other IAM Events
November 19, 2018 4:00 pm LSK 460

Abstract. Quantum information processing holds great promise, yet large-scale, general purpose, universal quantum computers capable of solving hard problems are not yet available despite 20+ years of immense worldwide effort and large investments. However, special purpose quantum information processors, such as the quantum simulators originally envisioned by Feynman, now appear to be within reach. Another type of currently operational special purpose quantum information processor is a “quantum annealer, designed to speed up the solution to classical optimization problems. “Quantum supremacy” has meanwhile been identified as an intermediate target allowing the current generation of quantum computers to demonstrate superiority against classical computers. After a brief introduction to “what is quantum computing”, this talk will review these developments and their broader impacts, with an eye towards the long term prospects of quantum computers.

Bio. Daniel Lidar is the Viterbi Professor of Engineering at USC, and a professor of Electrical Engineering, Chemistry, and Physics. He holds a Ph.D. in physics from the Hebrew University of
 Jerusalem. He did his postdoctoral work at UC Berkeley. Prior to joining USC in 2005 he was a faculty member at the University of Toronto. His main research interest is quantum information processing, where he works on quantum control, quantum error correction, the theory of open quantum systems, quantum algorithms, and theoretical as well as experimental adiabatic quantum computation. He is the Director of the USC Center for Quantum Information Science and Technology, and is the co-Director (Scientific Director) of the USC-Lockheed Martin Center for Quantum Computing. Lidar is a recipient of a Sloan Research Fellowship, a Guggenheim Fellowship and is a Fellow of the AAAS, APS, and IEEE.