ML4Q Summer School on Quantum Error Correction
From the 23rd till the 27th of September 2024, students, researchers, and postdocs gathered at the Bethe Center for Theoretical Physics in Bonn for the ML4Q Summer School on Quantum Error Correction. The event brought together over 50 participants from different European institutions, aiming to deepen their understanding of quantum error correction and foster collaborations within and outside the ML4Q community.
The summer school began with a welcome note by Alessandro Ciani introducing participants to the week’s structure, followed by the first lecture on fault-tolerant error correction, delivered by Markus Müller (RWTH Aachen University). Müller’s lectures served as an essential foundation for the event, delving into the principles and methods crucial for reducing errors in quantum computing. Michael Gullans (University of Maryland) further built upon these concepts with a lecture on logical qubit quantum algorithms, providing insights into how such algorithms can be applied to fault-tolerant qubits.
A highlight of the second day was the insightful lecture by Jens Eisert (FU Berlin) on avenues for quantum error correction and mitigation. Additionally, Michael Gullans gave his second lecture, while Christophe Vuillot (Inria Nancy) started his series of lectures on continuous variable codes, which provided the participants with tools to study alternative ways to perform error correction on quantum systems. The day ended with a lively poster session where participants had the opportunity to showcase their research and connect with peers.
Midweek, after the second lecture by Christophe Vuillot, the morning session featured a talk by Natalie Brown (Quantinuum), who shared the experimental progress that is taking place at the industry level on the trapped ion platform for quantum computing. In the afternoon, the attendees took a break from the scientific discussions and gathered for a relaxing evening in the center of Bonn.
Lectures resumed on day four with Giulia Ferrini (University of Chalmers), Barbara Terhal (TU Delft), and Nicolas Delfosse (IonQ), who presented cutting-edge research on simulatable quantum computing architectures, morphing circuits for LDPC codes, and noise reduction strategies for Clifford circuits, respectively. The day also featured a series of “young talks” from the participants giving early-career researchers like Matthew Steinberg, Friederike Butt, and Bence Hetényi a platform to present their work on topics ranging from holographic quantum error correction to fault-tolerant code-switching protocols. The day ended with the school dinner where with traditional drinks and hearty food, the
casual atmosphere offered participants the perfect opportunity to network and exchange ideas, fostering a strong sense of community and potential future collaborations.
The event wrapped up with a captivating keynote by Johannes Zeiher (Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics) on quantum computing with neutral-atom arrays, followed by young talk by Josias Old and a closing lecture from Simon Trebst (University of Cologne) on quantum error correction from a condensed matter point of view. As the participants returned to their labs and offices, they left with new knowledge, connections, and inspiration for their ongoing research.
Overall, the summer school was a great success, offering a perfect blend of academic rigor, practical learning, and community building.