Chris Heunen

Attending Formal Analysis and Verification in Quantum Programming Languages at Dagstuhl.

New paper Free Quantum Computing, with Jacques Carette, Robin Kaarsgaard, N. Julien Ross, and Amr Sabry, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The Quantum Software Alliance was launched!

Spoke at Yorkshire and Midlands Category Theory Seminar in Leeds.

Spoke at New Directions in Physics in Edinburgh. [slides]

Joined the Scientific Advisory Board of Centre for Formal Methods and Future Computing (FORM).

Paper Quantum circuits are just a phase with Louis Lemonnier, Christopher McNally, and Alex Rice, accepted for ACM Principles of Programming Languages 2026.

Paper Hadamard-Π: Equational quantum programming with Wang Fang and Robin Kaarsgaard accepted for ACM Principles of Programming Languages 2026.

New paper Causal coverages in ordered locales and spacetimes with Nesta van der Schaaf.

New paper One rig to control them all with Louis Lemonnier and Robin Kaarsgaard.

Seventh meeting of CATNIP in Edinburgh.

PhD student Matt Di Meglio passed his PhD viva.

Spoke at CONCUR 2025 in Aarhus, Denmark. [slides]

New paper Dagger categories of relations: the equivalence of dilatory dagger categories and epi-regular independence categories with Matt Di Meglio, J.-S. Pacaud Lemay, Paolo Perrone, and Dario Stein.

Attended Shonan meeting Quantum Software Engineering in Tokyo, Japan.

New paper Quantum circuits are just a phase with Louis Lemonnier, Chris McNally, and Alex Rice.

Speaking at Reversible Computing 2025 in Odense, Denmark.

Speaking at MFPS 2025 in Glasgow. [slides] [video]

New paper Hadamard-Π: Equational quantum programming with Wang Fang and Robin Kaarsgaard.

New paper M*-categories: where limits in analysis and category theory meet with Matt Di Meglio.

Paper Dagger categories and the complex numbers with Matt Di Meglio published in Applied Categorical Structures.

Joined I'm a computer scientist, get me out of here.

Quoted in BBC News article.

The Quantum Informatics CDT website is live, and applications are open!

New paper Qurts: Automatic quantum uncomputation by affine types with lilfetime with Kengo Hirata accepted to POPL.

Attended Quantum information, quantum groups and operator algebras programme, Cambridge.

Gave INI seminar.

Appeared in podcast about Quantum Computing for Financial Services.

The CDT in Quantum Informatics is hiring a Centre Manager. Apply here.

Appeared in Quantum Technologies outreach video.

Gave QST seminar at Seoul National University. [video]

Quantum Programming Zoo went live.

PhD student Nesta van der Schaaf passed his viva.

Promoted to full professor.

Gave lecture series at Scottish Programming Languages and Verification Summer School, University of Strathclyde.

Spoke at Computability in Europe, Amsterdam.

Spoke at Category Theory 2024, Spain.

Paper The quantum effect: a recipe for Quantum Pi with Jacques Carette, Robin Kaarsgaard, and Amr Sabry accepted at ICFP 2024.

New paper Compositional reversible computation with Jacques Carette, Robin Kaarsgaard, and Amr Sabry, in Reversible Computation.

Third meeting of CATNIP at Aberdeen.

Centre for Doctoral Training in Quantum Informatics announced.

At least seven PhD studentships available.

Paper Ordered locales with Nesta van der Schaaf published.

Paper Axioms for the category of Hilbert spaces and linear contractions published.

PhD student Jesse Sigal passed his viva.

New paper Dagger categories and the complex numbers with Matt Di Meglio.

Second meeting of CATNIP at Strathclyde.

The Quantum Software Lab has a new website!

New paper With a few square roots, quantum computing is as easy as Pi with Jacques Carette, Robin Kaarsgaard, and Amr Sabry, accepted for POPL 2024.

We're hiring! Three vacancies for postdoctoral researchers, three years each, on the RubberDUQ project. Apply here and/or here!.

Attending Samson Abramsky on Logic and Structure in Computer Science and Beyond workshop, London.

New paper Categories of sets with infinite addition with Pablo Andres-Martinez.

Paper Compact inverse categories with Robin Cockett published.

Mentored Adjoint School 2023 research week.

Gave talk at QPL 2023.

Mentored Adjoint School 2023.

Giving Theoretical computer science seminar in Birmingham.

Three talks accepted to QPL 2023: Ordered Locales, The Quantum Effect, and Axioms for the category of Hilbert spaces and contractions.

New network CATNIP founded!

Software Centre of Excellence in Quantum and AI with Cisco launched.

New paper Ordered locales with Nesta van der Schaaf.

PhD student Nuiok Dicaire passed her viva.

MScRes student Mateusz Kupper passed his examination.

Paper Sheaf representation of monoidal categories with Rui Soares Barbosa was published in Advances in Mathematics.

New paper The quantum effect: a recipe for Quantum Pi with Jacques Carette, Robin Kaarsgaard, and Amr Sabry.

New paper Duoidally enriched Freyd categories with Jesse Sigal, accepted at RAMiCS.

Organised 10th Symposium on Compositional Structures in Edinburgh.

Gave seminar at Cambridge Quantum.

Gave London Algebra Colloquium at Queen Mary University London.

Gave Geometric Methods in Mathematics seminar at Technical University Dresden.

New paper Axioms for the category of Hilbert spaces and linear contractions with Andre Kornell and Nesta van der Schaaf.

PhD student Pablo Andres-Martinez passed his PhD viva.

Gave course at summer school Bicategories, Categorification and Quantum Theory, University of Leeds.

Gave tutorial at Foundational Methods in Computer Science, Calgary.

New paper Universal properties of partial quantum maps with Pablo Andres-Martinez and Robin Kaarsgaard accepted for Quantum Physics and Logic.

Gave Algebra seminar, Aberdeen.

We're at the Edinburgh Science Festival with a drop-in family activity Quantum Spies.

New postdoc Robert Booth started.

Joined IFIP Working Group on Foundations of Quantum Computation.

Gave QuaCS seminar.

We made a group photo.

Paper Axioms for the category of Hilbert spaces with Andre Kornell was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Paper Localisable monads with Carmen Constantin and Nuiok Dicaire was published in Computer Science Logic.

Paper "Weakly measured while loops: peeking at quantum states" with Pablo Andres-Martinez published in Quantum Science and Technology.

Gave Applied Topology Seminar at EPFL.

Gave mini course at the Atlantic Algebra Centre. [videos]

Paper The CBH characterisation theorem beyond algebraic quantum theory with Aleks Kissinger published in Information and Computation.

Gave Online Worldwide seminar on Logic and Semantics. [video] [slides]

Gave University Quantum Symmetries Lecture.

Gave Edinburgh Mathematical Physics Group seminar.

Gave Algebra seminar at Masaryk University.

Gave Ottawa-Carleton Logic seminar.

Gave Categorical Late Lunch seminar.

Paper Localisable monads with Carmen Constantin and Nuiok Dicaire was accepted for Computer Science Logic 2022.

Paper Quantum Information Effects with Robin Kaarsgaard was accepted for POPL 2022.

New paper "Axioms for the category of Hilbert spaces" with Andre Kornell.

Joined the ACM Transactions on Computational Logic editorial board.

Book "Categories for Quantum Theory" with J. Vicary translated to Japanese by H. Kawabe and published by Morikita Publishing.

New paper "Localisable Monads" with Carmen Constantin and Nuiok Dicaire.

New paper "Quantum Information Effects" with R. Kaarsgaard.

Programme Committee member for IEEE Quantum Computing and Engineering.

Gave Topos Institute Colloquium, June 17, 2021. [slides] [video]

New paper "Sheaf representation of monoidal categories" with R. Soares Barbosa.

Paper "Tensor-restriction categories" with J. S. P. Lemay published.

Programme Committee member for Applied Category Theory 2021.

Programme Committee Chair for Quantum Physics and Logic.

New paper "Bennett and Stinespring, together at last" with R. Kaarsgaard.

Gave Categorical Late Lunch.

My student Pau Enrique Moliner passed his PhD examination.

Gave "Calgary Peripatetic Seminar". [annotated slides]

Paper The CBH characterisation theorem beyond algebraic quantum theory with Aleks Kissinger accepted for publication in Information and Computation.

New paper "Tensor-restriction categories" with J. S. Pacaud Lemay.

New paper "A quantum while loop for amplitude amplification with P. Andres-Martinez, with video poster at QuAlg.

New PhD student Nesta van der Schaaf started.

Summer student Ronan Dance wrote a blog.

Paper Topos quantum theory with short posets with J. Harding accepted for publication in Order.

Robert Furber started as a postdoctoral researcher in Edinburgh.

Carmen Constantin started as a postdoctoral researcher in Edinburgh.

Paper Tensor topology accepted for Journal for Pure and Applied Algebra.

The book Categories for Quantum Theory with Jamie Vicary has been published!

Invited pure mathematics seminar in Leicester.

Paper Automated distribution of quantum circuits with Pablo Andres Martinez accepted for publication in Physical Review A.

Attended Higher rank graphs workshop in Edinburgh.

Spoke at Edinburgh-Paris joint Quantum workshop. [slides]

Organised Category Theory 2019 in Edinburgh

Spoke at Category Theory 2019, Edinburgh. [slides]

New paper Compact inverse categories with Robin Cockett.

New paper Monoidal characterisation of groupoids and connectors with Marino Gran and Sean Tull accepted for Topology and its Applications.

New paper Ontological models for quantum theory as functors with Andru Gheorghiu accepted for QPL 2019.

New paper Topos quantum theory with short posets with John Harding

My PhD student Martti Karvonen passed his viva.

New paper Automated distribution of quantum circuits with Pablo Andres Martinez.

Attended Royal Society course on Introduction to Public Engagement.

My PhD student Sean Tull passed his viva.

New PhD student Nuiok Dicaire started.

New paper Tensor topology with Pau Enrique Moliner and Sean Tull.

My EPSRC Fellowship was extended for 3 more years.

Became a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

The journal Compositionality is now open for submissions.

My thesis has been translated in Japanese.

Sean Tull started as a postdoctoral researcher in Edinburgh, August 6, 2018.

Spoke at Quantum Structures conference in Kazan. [slides]

Spoke at Category Theory conference in Ponta Delgada. [slides]

Spoke at Mathematical Foundations of Programming Semantics conference. [slides]

Attended Quantum Physics and Logic conference.

Gave LFCS lab lunch, May 29, 2018. [slides]

My student Vaia Patta got her PhD.

New paper Reversible effects as inverse arrows with Robin Kaarsgaard and Martti Karvonen accepted to MFPS 2018.

Organised Combining Viewpoints in Quantum Theory workshop in Edinburgh.

New paper Limits in dagger categories with Martti Karvonen.

Lectured course at Estonian Winter Schools in Computer Science, Palmse.

Spoke at QUISCO meeting, Edinburgh, Jan 30, 2018. [slides]

Invited seminar at Intensional and extensional aspects of computation, Tokyo, January 2018. [slides]

Blog post about FreeTikZ.

Wrote FreeTikZ, a webbased tool converting freehand drawing into tikz.

Spoke at Semantics and Tools for Functional Quantum Programming Languages workshop, Berkeley. [slides]

Spoke at Logical Structures in Computing workshop, Berkeley. [slides]

Organising Categories Logic and Physics workshop in Edinburgh.

Research visit by Noam Zeilberger in Edinburgh.

Invited Category Theory Seminar in Louvain-la-Neuve.

Research visit to Marino Gran in Louvain-la-Neuve.

New paper Boolean subalgebras of orthoalgebras with J. Harding, B. Lindenhovius, and M. Navara.

Invited Mathematics, Statistics and Physics seminar at Newcastle University.

Invited Functional Programming seminar at University of St Andrews. [slides]

Attended meeting of the Edinburgh Mathematical Society, Edinburgh.

Paper "Denotational validation of higher-order Bayesian inference" accepted for POPL.

Paper Can a quantum state over time resemble a quantum state at a single time? published in Proceedings of the Royal Society A.

Attending QUISCO workshop in Glasgow.

New PhD student Pablo Andres Martinez, September 2017.

Summer student Leo Lobski wrote a blog.

Taught a PhD summer course in Pisa.

Speaking at conference Quantum Physics and Logic in Nijmegen. [slides]

Attended workshop on Applications of operator algebras: order, disorder and symmetry in Edinburgh.

Attended conference Logic in Computer Science in Reykjavik.

New paper Purity through factorisation with Oscar Cunningham.

New paper Space in monoidal categories with Pau Enrique Moliner and Sean Tull

New paper Frobenius structures over Hilbert C*-modules with Manny Reyes.

Spoke at Categories Logic and Physics Scotland in Glasgow. [slides]

Invited lecture at Young Functional Analysts' Workshop in Glasgow.

Gave MAXIMALS seminar at Heriot-Watt University. [slides]

Attending probabilistic programming languages workshop at Bellairs.

Computer and Information Sciences seminar at University of Strathclyde. [slides]

LFCS Lab lunch talk. [slides]

New paper A convenient category for higher-order probability theory with Ohad Kammar, Sam Staton, and Hongseok Yang.

Gave Category Theory seminar at Vrije Universiteit Brussel. [slides]

Research visit to Marino Gran in Louvain-la-Neuve.

Invited lecture at Scottish Operator Algebras Research meeting in Glasgow. [slides]

Organising Categories Logic and Physics Scotland in Glasgow.

Paper Monads on dagger categories with Martti Karvonen accepted for Theory and Applications of Categories.

Elected founding editor of Quantum journal.

New PhD student Pau Enrique Moliner.

Gave Logical Structures in Computation seminar in Berkeley. [slides]

Invited lecture at Uncertainty in Computation in Berkeley. [slides] [video]

Research visit by Phil Scott in Edinburgh.

Attended Logical Structures in Computation in Berkeley.

Elected Councillor of the International Quantum Structures Association.

New paper Can a quantum state over time resemble a quantum state at a single time? with Dom Horsman, Jon Barrett, Matt Pusey, and Rob Spekkens.

New paper Discretization of C*-algebras with Manny Reyes.

Research visit by John Harding in Edinburgh.

Performed at Bright Club Edinburgh. [video]

Joined Reversible computing COST action.

Chaired and organised Quantum Physics and Logic in Glasgow.

Research visit by Ravi Kunjwal in Edinburgh.

Research visit by Oscar Cunningham in Edinburgh.

Research visit to Manny Reyes in Brunswick.

Gave Edinburgh Mathematical Physics Group seminar.

Invited lecture at Workshop on Information and Processes in Paris. [slides]

New paper Can quantum theory be characterized in information-theoretic terms with Aleks Kissinger.

Research visit by Sean Tull in Edinburgh.

Organised Categories Logic and Physics Scotland in Edinburgh.

Attended LFCS30 in Edinburgh

Attended WadlerFest in Edinburgh.

Paper Semantics for probabilistic programming accepted for LiCS.

Attended Scottish Operator Algebra Research meeting in Aberdeen, March 16-17, 2016.

Gave Mathematical Physics seminar in York. [slides]

New MSc course Categories and Quantum Informatics approved.

New paper Monads on dagger categories with Martti Karvonen.

Research visit to Marino Gran in Louvain-la-Neuve.

Attended Research leader programme.

New paper Semantics for probabilistic programming: higher-order functions, continuous distributions, and soft constraints with Sam Staton, Hongseok Yang, Ohad Kammar, and Frank Wood.

Joined the Scottish Operator Algebra Research network.

Published paper Reversible monadic computing with Martti Karvonen.

Attended Quantum Information Scotland day in Glasgow.

New paper The category of matroids with Vaia Patta.

Published paper Axiomatizing complete positivity with Oscar Cunningham.

Published paper Categories of relations as models of quantum theory with Sean Tull.

Edited Proceedings of the 12th International Workshop on Quantum Physics and Logic with Peter Selinger and Jamie Vicary.

Gave LFCS Lab lunch talk. [slides]

Invited lectures at Higher TQFT and categorical quantum mechanics workshop in Vienna. [slides]

Research visit by Bram Westerbaan in Edinburgh.

Joined the Quantum Information Scotland network.

Programme committee of Foundations of Software Science and Computer Structures.

New PhD student Martti Karvonen.

Joined the School of Informatics of the University of Edinburgh.

Invited lecture at Domains XII in Cork. [slides]

Published paper Domains of commutative C*-subalgebras with Bert Lindenhovius.

Invited lecture at Conference on Algebra and Coalgebra in Computer Science in Nijmegen. [slides]

Attended Mathematical Foundations of Programming Semantics conference in Nijmegen.

Invited lecture at Amsterdam Quantum Logic workshop in Amsterdam. [slides]