Kristina Kirova
Beyond bits, and beyond the curriculum.
I develop data-augmentation methods for quantum computers and non-binary (qudit) computation — and I build the communities that keep this field diverse.
What I do
I’m a PhD student developing novel methods for data augmentation on quantum computers and enabling non-binary (qudit)-based computation. My work involves collaborating both with experimentalists and theoreticians, which makes me appreciate the engineering challenges which our field is facing, together with the fundamental limits of nature.
Besides research, I care deeply about building communities and keeping the field of quantum computing as diverse as possible. This is why I started the Quantum Enthusiasts Club at the JKU: an opportunity for passionate students to go beyond the curriculum and to keep engaged. I also organise and participate in quantum hackathons, mentor students and coach teams.
Why it matters
I deeply believe that passion and a sense of belonging are crucial for one’s physical and mental health, and therefore try my best to foster inclusive environments. I’ve had amazing mentors and teachers, and now it's my time to give back. As for my research: firstly, many important techniques for working with data, standard in classical computing, are yet to be developed for quantum. Secondly, qudits are fascinating and not so well-studied computational primitives, and in our group we actively try to understand them better.