{"id":17302,"date":"2025-06-26T21:20:14","date_gmt":"2025-06-26T21:20:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/17302\/"},"modified":"2025-06-26T21:20:14","modified_gmt":"2025-06-26T21:20:14","slug":"hausi-mullers-quantum-computing-journey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/17302\/","title":{"rendered":"Hausi M\u00fcller’s Quantum Computing Journey"},"content":{"rendered":"

When Hausi A. M\u00fcller<\/a> began conducting research on quantum computing<\/a> a decade ago, he was excited about the technology\u2019s possibilities for engineering and computer science applications. Quantum computing leverages the principles of quantum mechanics<\/a> to tackle problems that are beyond the capabilities of classical computers. <\/p>\n

Although it\u2019s been 100 years since the discovery of quantum mechanics, applications for how to use it are just now becoming a reality. The technology is expected to advance the fields of artificial intelligence<\/a>, cybersecurity<\/a>, drug discovery<\/a>, finance, and more. <\/p>\n

Hausi A.\u00a0M\u00fcller<\/p>\n

Employer: <\/strong><\/p>\n

University of Victoria, in British Columbia, Canada<\/a><\/p>\n

Title: <\/strong><\/p>\n

Professor of computer science<\/p>\n

Member grade: <\/strong><\/p>\n

Life senior member<\/p>\n

Alma maters: <\/strong><\/p>\n

ETH Zurich<\/a> and Rice University, in Houston<\/p>\n

\u201cI felt like a kid in the candy store,\u201d says M\u00fcller, a software engineering professor at the University of Victoria<\/a>, in British Columbia, Canada. \u201cWith quantum computing, you can now simulate things quickly that were not possible to do before. In drug discovery, for example, you can play with molecules on your computer and explore new ideas without physically synthesizing compounds in a lab, saving both time and resources.\u201d<\/p>\n

The IEEE life senior member has always been confident that quantum science would take off. An active volunteer for more than 40 years, he persuaded IEEE in 2019 to become more involved in the science and engineering of quantum computing technologies. What began as the IEEE Future Directions Quantum Initiative<\/a>\u2014with support from a handful of IEEE organizational units\u2014evolved into the IEEE Quantum Technical Community<\/a> last year, with the support of 11 units.<\/p>\n

In 2020 he helped found IEEE International Conference on Quantum Computing and Engineering (QCE)<\/a>, part of the annual IEEE Quantum Week<\/a>, which he also founded, to provide a multidisciplinary and open forum for discussing the technology\u2019s challenges and opportunities.<\/p>\n

M\u00fcller\u2019s and IEEE\u2019s efforts to advance quantum computing have not gone unnoticed. In February, M\u00fcller, IEEE President Kathleen Kramer<\/a>, and other dignitaries attended a UNESCO <\/a>ceremony in Paris, where the agency designated 2025 as the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Software and quantum computing researcher<\/p>\n

M\u00fcller became interested in software about halfway through his bachelor\u2019s degree program in electrical engineering<\/a> at ETH Zurich<\/a>, he says. He was inspired by one of his professors, Niklaus Wirth<\/a>, a Swiss computer scientist who designed Modula<\/a>, Oberon<\/a>, Pascal<\/a>, and other programming<\/a> languages.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn electrical engineering, you have these nice little parts to experiment with in the lab. But in software, experiments are done with paper and pencil, and you can build amazing machines quickly,\u201d M\u00fcller says. \u201cThat\u2019s what really attracted me to software engineering.\u201d<\/p>\n

Skills Needed for a Career in Quantum Computing<\/p>\n

There are many opportunities for people seeking a career in the development and operation of quantum computing hardware and software, M\u00fcller says. The ease of transitioning into the field depends on the engineer\u2019s background in hardware, software, and applications.<\/p>\n

\u201cQuantum computing is highly interdisciplinary,\u201d he says, \u201cand for it to succeed, we need computer scientists and all kinds of engineers, especially software engineers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Here are some of skills M\u00fcller says quantum engineers need:<\/p>\n

Linear algebra.<\/strong> This foundational knowledge is essential for matrix mechanics and quantum computing.<\/p>\n

Qubits<\/a> and quantum states.<\/strong> Learn how qubits differ from classical bits, including the fundamental quantum concepts of superposition<\/a>, entanglement<\/a>, and interference.<\/p>\n

Quantum gates, circuits, and measurement.<\/strong> Understand how to manipulate qubit states using gates and build quantum circuits.<\/p>\n

Quantum algorithms<\/a> and protocols.<\/strong> Learn the basics to solve problems, dealing with actions and properties governed by the laws of quantum mechanics.<\/p>\n

Quantum software platforms and engineering quantum software.<\/strong> Become proficient in Python<\/a> as well as quantum platforms and libraries<\/a> such as IBM\u2019s Qiskit<\/a>, Microsoft\u2019s software development kits and Q#<\/a> programming language, Google\u2019s Cirq<\/a>, Xanadu\u2019s PennyLane<\/a>, D-Wave\u2019s Leap<\/a>, Amazon\u2019s Braket<\/a>, Nvidia\u2019s CUDA-Q<\/a>, and Quantinuum\u2019s TKET<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Qubit technologies.<\/strong> Learn how to implement physical qubits such as superconducting<\/a> transmon qubits, trapped ions, and photonic qubits, as well as their control technologies.<\/p>\n

Microwave qubit control.<\/strong> Precise control of superconducting qubits<\/a> relies heavily on microwave signals, so learn about microwave generation, manipulation, and measurement.<\/p>\n

Pulse shapes for gate design.<\/strong> Quantum gates are implemented by applying precisely shaped pulses\u2014electrical or optical\u2014to qubits, so understanding pulse design and control is crucial.<\/p>\n

Instrumentation and measurement.<\/strong> Learn how to use tools for generating control signals and measuring qubit states.<\/p>\n

Quantum error correction<\/a>.<\/strong> Quantum systems are susceptible to noise, which can introduce errors in computations. Understanding quantum error correction<\/a> at distinct levels of the quantum stack is essential for building fault-tolerant<\/a>\u00a0quantum computers<\/a>.<\/p>\n

After graduating in 1979, M\u00fcller joined ABB<\/a>, a global electrification<\/a> and automation<\/a> technology company headquartered in Zurich<\/a>. He was responsible for building a database management system on PDP-11 computers<\/a> for the central control systems<\/a>. He was part of a team developing power control and supervision systems for Colombia, Singapore<\/a>, and Sweden<\/a>.<\/p>\n

M\u00fcller says he believed that an advanced degree would further his career, and he wanted to conduct research into the evolution of software. In 1982 he enrolled at Rice University<\/a>, in Houston, to pursue a master\u2019s degree in computer science, which he earned in 1984. He enjoyed being there so much, he says, that he stayed on to earn a Ph.D. in the same subject in 1986.<\/p>\n

It was while teaching programming courses at Rice that he decided to transition to a career in academia, but he still kept a foot in the industry. He conducted research on high-performance computing<\/a> and worked extensively with IBM<\/a>, a relationship he has maintained for more than 30 years. He has served as a principal investigator for several collaborative research projects including the development of hybrid and distributed quantum computing software using IBM\u2019s Qiskit<\/a>.<\/p>\n

He left Rice in 1986 to join the University of Victoria as a professor of computer science. During his nearly 40 years there, he has served as associate dean of research for a decade. He is the founding director of the accredited software engineering bachelor\u2019s degree program.<\/p>\n

His research has mostly focused on software engineering<\/a> for self-adaptive systems, smart software systems, the Internet of Things<\/a>, and intelligent cyber-physical systems. Today he is primarily focused on quantum computing. More than 60 of his papers<\/a> are in the IEEE Xplore Digital Library<\/a>.<\/p>\n

He is a principal investigator of a large grant from the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council<\/a> of Canada. The council is assembling a Quantum Software Consortium<\/a>, an interdisciplinary research program that aims to develop methods and software for distributed quantum computing in Canada.<\/p>\n

A quantum forum<\/p>\n

M\u00fcller is most proud of having created IEEE Quantum Week<\/a> and the IEEE QCE<\/a> conference. Now in its fifth year, the forum is more popular than ever. Last year IEEE Quantum Week<\/a> took place in Montr\u00e9al, drawing 1,600 participants from 52 countries, with 60 percent from industry.<\/p>\n

This year, the event is scheduled for 31 August to 5 September in Albuquerque. M\u00fcller is the program board chair. IEEE Quantum Week 2025<\/a> will feature stellar exhibits, he says, with more than 250 technical papers, 150 posters, 35 tutorials, and 40 workshops, including ones for entrepreneurs<\/a> and venture capitalists<\/a>. The tutorials are designed to enhance the fundamental quantum computing skill sets needed by scientists and engineers, he says, and the workshops will feature experts from quantum communities.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome of the workshops collaborate throughout the year and then congregate again at Quantum Week,\u201d he says. \u201cI think the impact of these separate little communities that we started at Quantum Week is very powerful.<\/p>\n

\u201cIndustry is very interested in talking to academia and, of course, the academics really want to talk to industry. From the outset, we designed IEEE Quantum Week to be a forum where this is possible. The activities bridge the gap between the science of quantum computing and the development of the industry surrounding it.\u201d<\/p>\n

M\u00fcller joined IEEE in 1979 during a membership drive for students at ETH<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe opportunities for volunteering are what interested me, and I could see that it would benefit my career down the line. That has certainly been true,\u201d he says. \u201cI think the kind of volunteering we do within IEEE is super important for the next generation of engineers in universities, because the organization helps universities connect to what\u2019s going on in industry.\u201d<\/p>\n

He is involved with the IEEE Computer Society<\/a> and has served as chair of its Technical Community on Software Engineering<\/a>, as well as vice president of its technical and conference activities board<\/a>. He was a member of its board of governors<\/a> and IEEE\u2019s conferences committee<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In recognition of his Computer Society volunteerism, he received last year\u2019s technical and conference activities board Distinguished Leadership Award<\/a> for \u201cunwavering commitment and exceptional contributions to software engineering<\/a>, quantum computing, and IEEE CS\u2019s technical activities.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think I have had an impact on the profession by volunteering to organize events such as Quantum Week,\u201d he says. \u201cI like the conference business because people get together, exchange ideas, collaborate, and even work together on research grant proposals. I have always been passionate about creating and sustaining communities.\u201d<\/p>\n

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