Skip to main content
Apply Library A-Z Find a person Maps
Brightspace Email
University
of Victoria
Apply Library A-Z Find a person Maps
Sign in Online tools Sign out
Faculty of Graduate Studies

Jose Ossorio

  • BSc (University of Victoria, 2011)

Notice of the Final Oral Examination for the Degree of Master of Science

Topic

Toward an Extensible Quantum Platform-Agnostic Combinatorial Optimization Library

Department of Computer Science

Date & location

  • Thursday, May 15, 2025

  • 10:00 A.M.

  • Engineering Computer Science Building

  • Room 468

Reviewers

Supervisory Committee

  • Dr. Hausi Müller, Department of Computer Science, University of Victoria (Co-Supervisor)

  • Dr. Norha Villegas Machado, Department of Computer Science, UVic (Co-Supervisor)

     

External Examiner

  • Dr. Nikitas Dimopoulos, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Victoria 

Chair of Oral Examination

  • Dr. Catherine Harding, Department of Art History and Visual Studies, UVic

     

Abstract

Combinatorial optimization (CO) problems are computationally challenging as evidenced in various industry and research domains. With recent advances in quantum computing hardware and algorithms, such problems represent an excellent case study for these technologies. Nevertheless, current software tools for CO lack platform-agnostic abstractions to enable researchers and practitioners to utilize quantum resources effectively. 

This thesis aims to validate and extend the QPLEX Python library, a platform agnostic CO package built on DOcplex which integrates execution across multiple quantum providers using various algorithms. We focus on two key software quality attributes: completeness, ensuring QPLEX can handle a wide range of CO problems and quantum platforms; and extensibility, making the library more adaptable for future expansions. We first compile a high-level workflow for solving CO problems to ensure that our elicited software requirements align with the actual process practitioners follow when solving these problems. Subsequently, we evaluate QPLEX through a comprehensive analysis of its completeness by comparing features against alternative solutions including platform-specific SDKs, and its extensibility by examining how easily new features can be integrated without disrupting existing functionality. 

Based on the identified functional and non-functional requirements, we design and implement several extensions to QPLEX, including support for Qiskit Runtime Sessions, integration with D-Wave’s quantum solvers and implementation of the QAOAnsatz algorithm. Furthermore, we enhance the extensibility of the library through comprehensive documentation, automated testing, and CI/CD pipelines to ensure smooth integration of future open-source contributions. 

Validation results demonstrate that these enhancements successfully extend QPLEX’s capabilities for solving CO problems using quantum resources, providing a more comprehensive suite of features for quantum-based CO while establishing robust foundations for future development. 

This work contributes to the evolving field of quantum software engineering by advancing an abstraction layer that shields practitioners from low-level quantum details, allowing them to focus on problem formulation. As quantum hardware and algorithms continue to advance, such platform-agnostic libraries will play a crucial role in broadening quantum computing adoption, enabling domain experts to leverage quantum resources without requiring deep quantum computing knowledge.

Back to oral exams