Carmen G. Almudéver is a prominent researcher in the field of quantum computing, with a PhD in Electronic Engineering from the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. She has made significant contributions to the development of quantum computing architectures and software, with expertise in key areas such as quantum programming languages and compilers, quantum error correction, fault-tolerant quantum computing, quantum algorithm mapping, and the exploration and design of scalable modular quantum architectures.
In February 2021, she joined the Department of Computer Engineering (DISCA) at the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) as a distinguished researcher under the Beatriz Galindo program, aimed at attracting research talent.
She is currently an Associate Professor at UPV, where she leads the research group on Quantum Computing Architectures. Previously, from 2014 to early 2021, she was a faculty member in the Department of Quantum Engineering and Computing and Principal Investigator (PI) at QuTech at Delft University of Technology, where she began her career in quantum computing. During that time, she worked on the definition and implementation of a scalable quantum computer architecture in collaboration with other QuTech researchers and Intel.
As part of the Quantum Spain project, Carmen G. Almudéver and her team focus on developing architectural solutions from a full-stack perspective to enable more reliable and efficient execution of quantum algorithms on both current and future quantum processors.
1. What initially attracted you to quantum computing? Was there a key moment that marked the beginning of your career in this field?
Starting to work in quantum computing wasn’t a planned or premeditated decision—it was more a matter of chance. After completing my PhD in Electronic Engineering at UPC, I had the opportunity to do a postdoc at Delft University of Technology, where they had just founded QuTech, a research center dedicated to quantum computing and the quantum internet. Although I didn’t know much about the field at the time, it seemed like a unique opportunity and a real challenge—and I’ve always been very motivated by challenges.
I must admit that the beginning was tough. During the first months—or even years—I dedicated myself almost exclusively to reading, studying, and trying to understand how we could contribute to this field from an engineering perspective, and more specifically, from computer science. Eleven years ago, there were hardly any works addressing quantum computing from this angle, so our first step was to draw a roadmap—a clear vision of where we wanted to go and how to get there. It wasn’t easy, but it was fascinating. And it was precisely that experience that made me fall in love with quantum computing.
2. What excites you the most about research in quantum computing?
What excites me most about quantum computing research is that there is still so much left to discover and explore—things we can’t even imagine yet. What makes working in quantum computing so fascinating—and sometimes also challenging—is the sheer number and variety of scientific and technological challenges still to be solved.
It’s also a highly interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary field, requiring close collaboration with researchers from diverse areas such as physics, mathematics, and engineering. This not only involves working together but also fostering mutual understanding and bridging gaps between disciplines.
3. Could you describe in detail the research line you lead on quantum computing architectures and their software and hardware challenges?
Our research focuses on the development of full-stack quantum computing systems. That is, defining and developing a set of software and hardware layers that connect quantum applications and algorithms with quantum processors.
In particular, we work on compilation techniques to efficiently implement quantum algorithms and circuits on quantum devices. These techniques take into account the inherent limitations of quantum hardware, such as restricted qubit connectivity and high error rates, and apply various transformations to the circuit to optimize its execution.
We also investigate the integration of error correction protocols necessary to achieve fault-tolerant and, therefore, reliable quantum computing. Additionally, we explore modular multi-core architectures to facilitate the scaling of quantum computers, where multiple quantum processors are interconnected through both quantum and classical links.
In summary, our main goal is to provide architectural solutions for the optimal and efficient implementation of quantum algorithms on current and future quantum processors.
4. From your perspective, what is the most significant challenge the scientific community must overcome to advance the development of quantum computing?
One of the main challenges currently facing the quantum computing community is scalability. To solve complex problems with real-world applications, quantum computers must be able to integrate thousands—or even millions—of high-quality qubits, along with error correction protocols.
This means not only increasing the number of qubits on the chip and significantly improving their error rates, but also scaling up the rest of the system layers—such as control devices or compilation techniques—and incorporating new functionalities as the system grows in complexity.
Only by developing large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computers will we be able to fully harness the computational potential these machines can offer.
5. How do you see the current state of quantum computing research and development in Spain? What areas do you think need more attention or resources?
Currently, there are numerous outstanding research groups in quantum computing in Spain, spread across research centers, universities, and even companies. These teams approach the field from diverse perspectives—experimental and theoretical—from disciplines such as physics and engineering, and both from the hardware development and application sides.
In this regard, we can say that we are in a good moment in terms of the number and quality of groups dedicated not only to quantum computing but also to quantum technologies more broadly. The critical mass in this field is growing, and we could say we are in a particularly promising period, partly driven by public funding at both the national level—like the Quantum Spain project—and the European level. Of course, there’s always room for improvement.
We hope the new National Strategy for Quantum Technologies will help strengthen the quantum ecosystem in Spain and consolidate the links between the various scientific communities, government entities, and the business sector, which in my opinion, are still somewhat fragmented.
6- What advice would you give to someone who wants to get started in the field of quantum computing?
My advice would be to start with an open mind and a willingness to think “outside the box,” since quantum computing is a completely different paradigm from classical computing. Approaching this emerging field with fresh eyes and a new perspective can make a big difference when it comes to making progress.
I would also recommend taking full advantage of the many outreach and training resources available today, which are varied and accessible. And, if possible, start out with the guidance of experts, as having a good mentor early on can be extremely valuable.
And most importantly: even if this field may seem intimidating at first due to its complexity, don’t be afraid. Dare to explore it, dive in, and contribute to the future of computing.
