Kevin Thompson

R&D S&E, Computer Science

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R&D S&E, Computer Science

kevthom@sandia.gov

Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico
 P.O. Box 5800
 Albuquerque, NM 87185-1327

Biography

Kevin has been at Sandia since 2019, first as a postdoc then as a staff member.  He is an applied mathematician/theoretical computer scientist and with primary focus in quantum optimization.  Additionally, he has expertise in many other subfields of quantum information including quantum error correction, quantum pseudorandomness, optics, and Hamiltonian computing.  He is part of the Department of Energy’s Fundamental Algorithmic Research for Quantum Computing (FAR-QC) project as well as the Sandia Quantum Algorithms and Applications Collaboratory (QuAAC).  He is excited by learning new mathematics and applying it to problems in quantum information. 

Education

  • UC Berkeley 2007-2012.  B.S.E. degree in Engineering Physics with a Minor in Mathematics.  During that time I had research experience in Plasmonics, Image analysis and astrophysics.
  • Harvard 2012-2018.  Masters and PhD in Applied math.  Focus was on quantum error correction and Hamiltonian computing.
  • Sandia 2019-2020. Postdoc.  Wrote several papers on approximation algorithms for the local Hamiltonian problem.
  • Sandia 2020-present. Senior member of Technical staff.
Image of quaac-logo.jpg

Publications

  • Parekh, O.D., Kallaugher, J.M.G., Thompson, K., Wang, Y., & Phillips, C.A. (2024). Unconventional Quantum Advantages for Computation (U-QuAC). https://doi.org/10.2172/2462899 Publication ID: 154652
  • Yirka, J.K., Thompson, K., Wang, Y., Parekh, O.D., & Kallaugher, J.M.G. (2024). Complexity Classification of Product State Problems for Local Hamiltonians [Conference Poster]. https://doi.org/10.2172/2585432 Publication ID: 157012
  • Thompson, K. (2023). Quantum Approximate Optimization [Conference Presentation]. https://doi.org/10.2172/2431249 Publication ID: 128348
  • Hothem, D.G., Parekh, O.D., & Thompson, K. (2023). Optimal ground state approximations for sparse Hamiltonians [Conference Poster]. https://doi.org/10.2172/2431619 Publication ID: 129556
  • Parekh, O.D., & Thompson, K. (2021). Beating random assignment for approximating quantum 2-local hamiltonian problems [Conference Presentation]. Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics, LIPIcs. https://doi.org/10.2172/1884207 Publication ID: 75371
  • Parekh, O.D., & Thompson, K. (2021). Application of the level-2 quantum lasserre hierarchy in quantum approximation algorithms [Conference Presentation]. Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics, LIPIcs. https://doi.org/10.2172/2003096 Publication ID: 111808
  • Parekh, O.D., & Thompson, K. (2021). Application of the Level-2 Quantum Lasserre Hierarchy in Quantum Approximation Algorithms [Conference Presentation]. https://doi.org/10.2172/1884683 Publication ID: 78977
  • Thompson, K. (2019). Entangled Vertex Cover is in P [Conference Poster]. https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1643571 Publication ID: 66546
8 publications

Selected Publications