Curriculum Vitae

Research Interests

Computational quantum physics, quantum computing, quantum optics, optomechanical systems, superconducting circuit devices, analogue gravitational physics, scientific visualization.

Education

• 2005 - 2010, Ph.D. Physics, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH USA

  • Advisor: Miles P. Blencowe

• 2002 - 2005, B.S. Physics, Utah State University, Logan, UT USA

  • Minor: Mathematics

Experience

• 2021 - Present, Principal Research Scientist, IBM Quantum, Yorktown Heights, NY USA
• 2021 - 2023, Partners Technical Enablement Program Director, IBM Quantum, Yorktown Heights, NY USA
• 2018 - 2021, Research Staff Member, IBM Quantum, Yorktown Heights, NY USA
• 2015 - 2017, Staff Physicist IV, Northrop Grumman Corp., Aurora, CO USA
• 2012 - 2015, Assistant Professor, Korea University Department of Physics, Seoul, South Korea
• 2011 - 2012, JSPS Foreign Postdoctoral Fellow, RIKEN Advanced Science Institute, Wakoshi, Saitama Japan
• 2010 - 2012, Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Michigan, Ann-Arbor, MI USA (based at RIKEN)
• 2010 - 2011, Visiting Researcher, RIKEN Advanced Science Institute, Wakoshi, Saitama Japan
• 2005 - 2010, Graduate Student, Dartmouth College Department of Physics, Hanover, NH USA
• 2009, Visiting Researcher, NTT Basic Research Laboratories, Atsugi, Kanagawa Japan
• 2004 - 2005, Science Specialist, U.S. Army, Dugway Proving Grounds, UT USA

Publications

• Neill Lambert, Eric Giguère, Paul Menczel, Boxi Li, Patrick Hopf, Gerardo Suárez, Marc Gali, Jake Lishman, Rushiraj Gadhvi, Rochisha Agarwal, Asier Galicia, Nathan Shammah, Paul Nation, J. R. Johansson, Shahnawaz Ahmed, Simon Cross, Alexander Pitchford, Franco, Nori, “QuTiP 5: The Quantum Toolbox in Python”, Physics Reports 1153, 1 (2025)
• Paul D. Nation, Abdullah Ash Saki, Sebastian Brandhofer, Luciano Bello, Shelly Garion, Matthew Treinish, and Ali Javadi-Abhari, “Benchmarking the performance of quantum computing software for quantum circuit creation, manipulation and compilation”, Nat. Comput. Sci. 5, 427 (2025)
• Ali Javadi-Abhari, Matthew Treinish, Kevin Krsulich, Christopher J. Wood, Jake Lishman, Julien Gacon, Simon Martiel, Paul D. Nation, Lev S. Bishop, Andrew W. Cross, Blake R. Johnson, and Jay M. Gambetta, “Quantum computing with Qiskit”, arXiv:2405.08810
• Qi Gao, Michihiko Sugawara, Paul D. Nation, Takao Kobayashi, Yu-ya Ohnishi, Hiroyuki Tezuka, Naoki Yamamoto, “A Quantum-Classical Method Applied to Material Design: Photochromic Materials Optimization for Photopharmacology Applications”, Intelligent Computing 3, 0108 (2024)
• Mirko Amico, Helena Zhang, Petar Jurcevic, Lev S. Bishop, Paul Nation, Andrew Wack, David C. McKay, “Defining Standard Strategies for Quantum Benchmarks”, arXiv.2303.02108
• Victoria Zhang and Paul D. Nation, “Characterizing quantum processors using discrete time crystals”, arXiv.2301.07625
• Paul D. Nation and Matthew Treinish, ‘Suppressing quantum circuit errors due to system variability”, PRX Quantum 4, 010327 (2023)
• Paul D. Nation, Hwajung Kang, Neereja Sundaresan, and Jay M. Gambetta, “Scalable mitigation of measurement errors on quantum computers”, PRX Quantum 2, 040326 (2021)
• Antonio D. Córcoles, Abihinav Kandala, Ali Javadi-Abhari, Douglas T. McClure, Andrew W. Cross, Kristan Temme, Paul D. Nation, Matthais Steffen, and Jay M. Gambetta, “Challenges and Opportunities of Near-Term Quantum Computing Systems”, Proc. of IEEE 108, 1338 (2020)
• Andrew W. Cross, Lev S. Bishop, Sarah Sheldon, Paul D. Nation, Jay M. Gambetta, “Validating quantum computers using randomized model circuits”, Phys. Rev. A 100, 032328 (2019)
• P. D. Nation, J. Suh, and M. P. Blencowe, “Ultrastrong optomechanics incorporating the dynamical Casimir effect”, Phys. Rev. A 93, 022510 (2016)
• P. D. Nation, “Steady-state solution methods for open quantum optical systems”, arXiv:1504.06768
• P. D. Nation, J. R. Johansson, M. P. Blencowe, and A. J. Rimberg, “Iterative solutions to the steady-state density matrix for optomechanical systems”, Phys. Rev. E 91, 013307 (2015)
• A. J. Rimberg, M. P. Blencowe, A. D. Armour, and P. D. Nation, “A cavity-Cooper pair transistor scheme for investigating quantum optomechanics in the ultra-strong coupling regime”, New J. Phys. 16, 055008 (2014)
• P. D. Nation, “Nonclassical mechanical states in an optomechanical micromaser analog”, Phys. Rev. A 88, 053828 (2013)
• J. R. Johansson, P. D. Nation , and F. Nori, “QuTiP 2: A Python framework for the dynamics of open quantum systems”, Comp. Phys. Comm. 184, 1234 (2013)
• P. D. Nation, M. P. Blencowe, and F. Nori, “Non-equilibrium Landauer Transport Model for Hawking Radiation from a Black Hole”, New J. Phys. 14, 033013 (2012)
• J. R. Johansson, P. D. Nation , and F. Nori, “QuTiP: An open-source Python framework for the dynamics of open quantum systems”, Comp. Phys. Comm. 183, 1760 (2012)
• P. D. Nation, J. R. Johansson, M. P. Blencowe, and F. Nori, “Stimulating uncertainty: Amplifying the quantum vacuum with superconducting circuits”, Rev. Mod. Phys. 84, 1 (2012)
• P. D. Nation and M. P. Blencowe, “The trilinear Hamiltonian: a zero dimensional model of Hawking radiation from a quantized source”, New. J. Phys. 12, 095013 (2010)
• P. D. Nation, M. P. Blencowe, A. J. Rimberg, and E. Buks, “Analogue Hawking Radiation in a dc-SQUID Array Transmission Line”, Phys. Rev. Lett. 103, 087004 (2009)
• P. D. Nation, M. P. Blencowe, and E. Buks, “Quantum analysis of a nonlinear microwave-cavity embedded dc-SQUID displacement detector”, Phys. Rev. B 78, 104516 (2008)
• P. D. Nation, A. Q. Howard, and L. J. Webb, “Modeling biological fluorescence emission spectra using Lorentz line shapes and nonlinear optimization,” Appl. Opt. 46, 6192 (2007)

Conference Proceedings

• Jeffrey W. Hornung, Edward Parker, Jay M. Gambetta, Paul Nation, “Harnessing Quantum Technology for the Benefit of Society — How the United States and Japan Are Moving Quantum Science Research from the Lab to Everyday Life”, Proc. of the U.S.-Japan Socioeconomic Policy Research Exchange (2024)

• J. R. Johansson and P. D. Nation, “QuTiP: A framework for the dynamics of open quantum systems using SciPy and Cython”, Proc. of the 11th Python in Science Conf. (2012)

Honors and Awards

• 2025, Research Accomplishment Award, Transforming Qiskit into a high-performance quantum SDK, IBM
• 2024, Research Accomplishment Award, Development of Qiskit Runtime Primitives to optimize quantum algorithm workflows, IBM
• 2023, Research Accomplishment Award, Mapomatic, IBM
• 2022, Research Accomplishment Award, Matrix-free Measurement Mitigation (M3), IBM
• 2021, Research Accomplishment Award, IBM Quantum Cloud applications and services (Experience / Lab and API), IBM
• 2021, Outstanding Technical Achievement Award, Define Quantum Volume as a metric, IBM
• 2020, Research Accomplishment Award, IBM Quantum Cloud Applications and Services, IBM
• 2020, Research Accomplishment Award, Qiskit and IBM Q Experience Ecosystem, IBM
• 2019, Corporate Technical Award, IBM Q 20-qubit system development and deployment, IBM
• 2014, Outstanding Teaching Award, Computational Physics, Korea University
• 2012, Outstanding Teaching Award, Introductory Physics, Korea University
• 2011 - 2012, JSPS Foreign Postdoctoral Fellowship, Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science
• 2009 - 2010, Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) Fellowship, U.S. Dept. of Education
• 2009, East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes Fellowship, NSF / JSPS
• 2005 - 2006, GAANN Fellowship, U.S. Dept. of Education
• 2005, Best Undergraduate Science Poster Presentation, Utah State University

Patents

• Filled 2025, Paul D. Nation, Hwajung Kang, “Evaluating the action of a Hamiltonian on a subspace in a matrix-free manner”
• Filled 2025, Paul D. Nation, Jay M. Gambetta, and Antonio Corcoles-Gonzalez, “Defining staged quantum applications composed of graph-based workflows”
• Filled 2025, Paul D. Nation, and Hwajung Kang, “Assessment of quantum device quality using many-body localization”
• Filled 2024, Paul D. Nation, Abdullah Ash Saki, and Matthew Treinish, “Mapping a quantum circuit to a quantum processor by performing a light cone analysis”
• Filled 2024, Paul D. Nation, Hwajung Kang, and Rolland de Putter, “Reusable readout error calibration and mitigation”
• 2021, Jay M. Gambetta, Ismael Faro Sertage, Ali Javadiabhari, Francisco Jose Martin Fernandez, Paul Nation, “Adaptive compilation of quantum computing jobs”
• 2021, Paul D. Nation, Hwajung Kang, and Jay M. Gambetta, “Scalable error mitigation”
• 2020, Paul D. Nation, “Local Optimization of Quantum Circuits”
• Filled 2020, Paul D. Nation, Ali Javadi, Paco Martin, Ismael Faro, and Jay Gambetta, “Quantum circuit optimization routine evaluation and knowledge base generation”
• 2019, Paul Nation, Naoki Kanazawa, and Thomas Arab Alexander, “Representing the operation of a quantum computing device over time”
• 2019, Jay M. Gambetta, Ismael Faro Sertage, Paul Nation, and Francisco Jose Martin Fernandez, “Quantum pulse optimization using machine learning”
• 2019, Naoki Kanazawa and Paul D. Nation, “Optimizing Time-Dependent Simulations of Quantum Computing Architectures”
• 2019, Ali Javadi, Ismael Faro, Jay M. Gambetta, and Paul D. Nation, “Validating and estimating runtime for quantum algorithms”
• 2019, Paul D. Nation, Naoki Kanazawa, and Thomas Arab Alexander, “Visualizing arbitrary pulse shapes and schedules in quantum computing applications”
• Filled 2019, Paco Martin, Ismael Faro, Jay M. Gambetta, and Paul Nation, “Quantum adaptive compiler service”

Conference / Workshop Talks

• 2025, “Benchmarking the performance of quantum computing software”, 3rd International TQCI Seminar, Paris France
• 2023, Keynote speaker, IBM Quantum Summit, New York City
• 2019, “Progress toward Quantum Advantage at IBM”, IEEE, Westminister Colorado
• 2019, “Compiling quantum circuits for NISQ processors”, Korea Institute for Advanced Study, Seoul Korea
• 2018, “Quantum computing at IBM”, International Supercomputing (ISC), Frankfurt Germany
• 2014, “Quantum vacuum amplification”, Open KIAS School on Quantum Information Science, Seoul Korea
• 2014, “Circuit Quantum Electrodynamics: Quantum optics on a chip”, 3rd School of Mesoscopic Physics, Buyeo Korea
• 2013, “Nonclassical mechanical states in and optomechanical micromaser analogue”, Nonlinear Dynamics at the Nanoscale, Pohang Korea
• 2012, “The superconducting circuit warm-up for fundamental physics”, 25th Workshop on Nanoscale and Mesoscopic Systems, Pohang Korea
• 2012, “Photon production from the quantum vacuum”, 6th Winter School on Quantum Information Science, Huisun Taiwan
• 2010, “Hawking radiation as a 1D quantum channel”, RIKEN Quantum Science of Strongly Correlated Systems ($Q{S}^{2}C$) Theory Forum, Wakoshi Japan

Computational Programs

• 2024 - Present, Benchpress
  • Benchmarking quantum computing software for quantum circuit creation, manipulation
  • github.com/Qiskit/benchpress
• 2022 - 2023, Mapomatic
  • Automatic mapping of compiled quantum circuits to low-noise sub-graphs
  • Largely integrated into Qiskit
• 2021 - Present, Matrix-free Measurement Mitigation (M3)
  • Scalable measurement mitigation on quantum computing platforms
  • github.com/Qiskit/qiskit-addon-mthree
• 2018 - Present, Qiskit
  • Open-source framework for leveraging quantum computers in research, education, and business
  • github.com/Qiskit/qiskit
• 2009 - 2017, QuTiP: Quantum Toolbox in Python
  • Open-source framework for solving the dynamics of open quantum systems. In collaboration with Dr. Robert J. Johansson.
  • qutip.org
• 2014-2015, SciPy
  • Author of Reverse Cuthill-McKee, Maximum Bipartite Matching, and Structural Rank sparse matrix algorithms in the scipy.sparse.csgraph module
  • scipy.org