In this episode, a 9-year-old codes on a real quantum computer! Join us as we visit an actual quantum computing lab at ETH Zurich – Albert Einstein’s alma mater – with Kai, The Quantum Kid.
Together, we step inside the cutting-edge world of superconducting qubits and meet Dr Anatoly Kulikov, one of the ETH researchers pushing the limits of physics. And… we even see Kai run his very own quantum algorithm on a live quantum processor!
In this Qubits and Coffee webinar, Dr Alexandre Choquette, Algorithm Scientist at IBM, walks through one of the core near-term quantum algorithms: the Variational Quantum Eigensolver (VQE). The session starts with the basic intuition behind ground states in quantum mechanics, then moves into a hands-on implementation. You’ll see how a molecular problem is mapped onto qubits, how a hybrid quantum–classical loop works, and how the algorithm converges toward the energy of a simple molecule. This is a practical introduction to how quantum algorithms are run on today’s hardware, with a live coding walkthrough you can follow and adapt. What you’ll learn:
Why ground-state problems matter in chemistry and materials
How the VQE algorithm works
The role of hybrid quantum–classical optimization
A step-by-step implementation using Qiskit
Current strengths and limitations of near-term algorithms
