Software Foundations Towards the Quantum Future

Quantum computing’s potential relies heavily on innovative software that bridges the gaps between algorithms, hardware, and system support, and between current capabilities and the future vision for the field. My research aims to provide a path toward scalable, reliable, and practical quantum software systems in three key ways: (1) developing programming languages that support all layers of quantum software—from high-level algorithms to low-level compiler optimizations; (2) establishing formally verified end-to-end frameworks that enable precise resource estimation and certify concrete quantum speedup, even in the absence of mature quantum hardware; and (3) designing specialized operating system support for quantum computing to address challenges like workload multiplexing, hybrid synchronization, and security in quantum computing. In this talk, I will share recent or ongoing work across these areas, illustrating how software research can contribute to shaping a path from today’s quantum developments to tomorrow’s robust quantum systems.

Runzhou Tao is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Maryland, College Park and a Fellow at the Joint Center for Quantum Information and Computer Science (QuICS).  Runzhou obtained his Ph.D. in 2024 from the Department of Computer Science at Columbia University. He was advised by Prof. Ronghui Gu. He completed his bachelor's degree from Yao Class of the Institute for Interdisciplinary Information Sciences, Tsinghua University.  His research interest lies at the intersection of programming languages, operating systems and quantum computing.

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