The Ken Kennedy Institute's May Member of the Month: Tirthak Patel, Assistant Professor of Computer Science
Tirthak Patel is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Rice University and the Director of Positive Technology Lab, conducting systems-level research at the intersection of quantum computing and high-performance computing (HPC). His research explores the trade-offs among factors affecting performance, reliability, and energy efficiency, in recognition of which he has received the ACM-IEEE CS George Michael Memorial HPC Fellowship and the NSERC Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship (CGS D-3). The tools, datasets, and methodologies from his work are largely open-sourced, as an important facet of his work is to make scientific research accessible. Prior to joining Rice University, he received his Ph.D. in Computer Engineering from Northeastern University.
How would you explain your research in 1-2 sentences?
Broadly, my research focuses on solving systems-level challenges in quantum computing and high-performance computing. These challenges are primarily related to trade-offs between conflicting optimization objectives such as performance, reliability, and energy efficiency.
How does your work impact the community at large?
I open-source my research work for reproducibility and community-wide adoption. It has been utilized by multiple research groups and labs, demonstrating its significance in the advancement and broader development of quantum computing and high-performance computing. My lab’s systems-level contributions alleviate many of the challenges in quantum computing and pave the way for the meaningful utilization of quantum computers in solving large-scale problems of societal significance.
What kind of collaborations are you looking for at Rice and within the community?
I am interested in cross-stack collaborations to explore the co-design of different layers of quantum computing systems, including networks, algorithms, memory, and storage. I’m also interested in industrial and research collaborations to develop applications of quantum computing in different domains.
How do you see computation and data advancing in the future?
I anticipate computation and data will undergo transformation as a result of advancements in quantum computing. Quantum computing promises unique processing power, capable of solving complex problems faster than classical (transistor-based) computers. This will affect fields like cryptography, machine learning, optimization, and others. As quantum technologies continue to mature, they will reshape the landscape of computation and data, pushing the frontier of performance and energy efficiency.
How do you see the Ken Kennedy Institute supporting you and/or your research?
Ken Kennedy Institute has played and will continue to play a noteworthy role in my research with initiatives such as a conference for the exchange of ideas in quantum information processing (Energy HPC Conference) and forums to discuss the impact of AI. The institute also recently provided seed funding for my project titled “Enabling Quantum Speedup using a Suite of Learning, Optimization, and Compilation Tools” to spark interdisciplinary collaboration.
What is your favorite book or movie?
One of my favorite creative works in the last decade is the 2016 film “Arrival” (based on the book “The Story of Your Life”), which follows the story of establishing communication with an Alien species that mysteriously appears on Earth. The film explores many themes, but most relevantly, it illustrates the significance of employing a meticulous scientific methodology during the discovery/innovation process.
Do you have any words of inspiration you would like to share?
My high-school physics teacher inculcated the importance of solving scientific challenges in a manner that is “elegant,” along with correct. I encourage students to strive for the same sense of elegance and simplicity in their scientific solutions.
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See Tirthak's Rice Profile here.
