{"685352":{"#nid":"685352","#data":{"type":"event","title":"ISYE Quantum Computing Seminar - Ojas Parekh","body":[{"value":"\u003Ch2\u003EWhere are the exponential quantum advantages for discrete optimization hiding?\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESummary:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EThis seminar examines why exponential quantum advantages for NP-hard discrete optimization remain elusive and explores potential explanations and workarounds through the Maximum Cut problem.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbstract:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EQuantum computing offers hope for realizing exponential advantages over classical computing. Despite over two decades of work studying quantum approaches for discrete optimization, rigorously provable exponential advantages for approximating optimal solutions to NP-hard problems remain scarce. Why? We will discuss a potential explanation and workarounds, using the Maximum Cut problem as a running example.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESpeaker Bio:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EOjas Parekh is a theoretical computer scientist who enjoys applying mathematical techniques to practically motivated interdisciplinary problems. He has worked in a variety of fields including discrete optimization, combinatorics, combinatorial scientific computing, and most recently, quantum and neuromorphic computing. A recent passion is helping shape the emerging fields of quantum approximation algorithms and quantum discrete optimization. He co-directs the Quantum Algorithms and Applications Collaboratory (QuAAC) at Sandia National Laboratories and directs the Department of Energy Fundamental Algorithmic Research toward Quantum Utility project (\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/far-qu.sandia.gov\u0022\u003Efar-qu.sandia.gov\u003C\/a\u003E), a multi-institutional effort tasked with designing novel quantum algorithms to realize advantages over classical computation, especially for optimization, simulation, and machine learning. Ojas believes the universe loves us because pizza exists.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThis seminar examines why exponential quantum advantages for NP-hard discrete optimization remain elusive and explores potential explanations and workarounds through the Maximum Cut problem.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"This seminar explores why exponential quantum speedups for NP-hard discrete optimization remain elusive and highlights potential explanations and workarounds using the Maximum Cut problem as a case study."}],"uid":"36458","created_gmt":"2025-09-29 15:13:50","changed_gmt":"2025-10-01 15:02:58","author":"mellis74","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2025-10-08T11:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2025-10-08T12:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2025-10-08T12:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2025-10-08 15:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2025-10-08 16:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2025-10-08 16:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678173":{"id":"678173","type":"image","title":"Ojas Parekh","body":null,"created":"1759159970","gmt_created":"2025-09-29 15:32:50","changed":"1759159970","gmt_changed":"2025-09-29 15:32:50","alt":"Ojas Parekh","file":{"fid":"262166","name":"ojas-copy-1024x1024.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/29\/ojas-copy-1024x1024_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/29\/ojas-copy-1024x1024_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":117385,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/09\/29\/ojas-copy-1024x1024_0.jpg?itok=WR2OXn5P"}}},"media_ids":["678173"],"groups":[{"id":"1242","name":"School of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISYE)"},{"id":"1243","name":"The Supply Chain and Logistics Institute (SCL)"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"4359","name":"quantum computing"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"1795","name":"Seminar\/Lecture\/Colloquium"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"177814","name":"Postdoc"},{"id":"174045","name":"Graduate students"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}