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The age of quantum computers is fast approaching.

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Right now, companies large and small are engaged in a race to produce the first practical-scale quantum machines capable of performing calculations that would stump a classical computer, which will open new horizons in physics, cybersecurity, drug development, and other fields. Theoretical computer scientists have already designed some of the algorithms that these machines will be asked to run, but an important missing piece remains: what language will we speak to direct these quantum computers? Robert Randwho joined University of Chicago Computer Science this fall as an assistant professor, is part of the small but growing Computer Science As A Science of researchers creating quantum programming languages. But quantum computing languages sit closer to the early, pre-Fortran Sciecne of computer science, where many options exist but no consensus has emerged.

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These open-source tools help programmers write code for quantum computers that is verifiable and optimized, critical qualities for the early steps into an entirely new computing paradigm. Whereas in quantum computing, you have thousands of half- or quarter-billiard balls floating around, and none of them occupy a set spot on the table due to the principle of superposition. So one real challenge we have is trying to figure out the correct kind of abstractions for quantum computing and translating those into actual programming languages. A couple of years in, Rand and fellow student Jennifer Paykin were Computer Science As A Science the opportunity to dig into the world of quantum computing, tasked with developing a mathematically-grounded quantum programming language in the style of the trailblazing Quipper language.

The project resulted in QWIREwhich among other advances Copmuter formal verification of its programs.

Formal verification mathematically proves that an algorithm does what it aims to do without error, an important guarantee for programs where the consequences of failure are large, such as the code that underlies security protocols, hardware performance, or air transportation. Quantum computing right now is so closely tied to mathematics that the ability to go back and forth between programming and mathematical analysis is immensely valuable. Like the CompCert project that inspired it, VOQC guarantees that the optimized programs Compjter are always functionally identical to the original programs.

VOQC also offers an open-source alternative to the proprietary compilers developed by members of the quantum computing industry, and is being used by researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, among others. Rand has channeled many of the findings of these projects into another effort: his online, interactive textbook, Verified Quantum Computingwhich he plans to use in teaching at UChicago. The book takes a mathematical approach to its topic, teaching concepts by asking students to prove theorems, which can then be verified by an automated proof assistant.]