Congratulations to Oscar Lautsch (he/him), currently a Master’s student in the Department of Pure Mathematics, on receiving a Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Doctoral (CGRS D). Valued at $40,000 per year. The scholarship runs for three years.
“I came to Waterloo because it has the largest centre for quantum computing research in Canada,” says Lautsch. “This makes it a good place to study the mathematics underlying quantum computation.”
Studying under the supervision of Dr. William Slofstra, Lautsch is primarily interested in using algebraic techniques to better understand structures in quantum computing and quantum information. He’s formerly worked on classifying the Clifford hierarchy, which is a set of quantum operations that may be implemented fault-tolerantly. In other words, without propagating too many errors through the quantum computer.
More recently, Lautsch started studying nonlocal games, which are used to test the boundaries between classical and quantum computation. For example, it could test the time it takes a classical supercomputer to generate outputs with the same inputs compared to a quantum computation.
The CGRS D aims to recognize and support the next generation of outstanding research trainees. By funding a high-quality research training experience, the program seeks to create impact both within and beyond the research environment. The federal research funding agencies assessed applications equally on two criteria: research potential and relevant experience and achievements obtained within and beyond academia.
The scholarship is part of the Canada Research Training Awards Suite (CRTAS), announced in Budget 2024. The harmonized talent program includes the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). The CRTAS supports emerging innovators with funding and research training that builds research skills, fosters creativity and prepares them to contribute to Canada’s research ecosystem, economy and prosperity. It also helps graduate students and postdoctoral researchers move into careers across all sectors that rely on strong research skills.