Xinyu Wu, a Ph.D. student in the Computer Science Department who studies the theoretical foundations of quantum computing, is one of five recipients of 2021 Ada Lovelace Fellowships, presented by Microsoft Research.

The three-year fellowships are awarded to second-year Ph.D. students who are pursuing research aligned with Microsoft Research. To increase diversity, the company also seeks students who are underrepresented in the field of computing.

Wu said support from the fellowship will enable her to continue her work exploring what's possible with quantum computers.

"I work on using different mathematical tools to develop the theory behind quantum computers," she said. "I especially like working in this area because it has connections across all of math, physics and computer science."

Her current research in this area includes improved constructions of pseudorandom quantum states and channels, as well as analyzing the average-case algorithmic complexity of quantum problems.