Chris Heunen
About
Group
Research
News
2026‑03‑08
Attending
Formal Analysis and Verification in Quantum Programming Languages
at Dagstuhl.
2026-02-17
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.
2026‑02-12
The
Quantum Software Alliance
was launched!
2026‑01-21
Spoke at
Yorkshire and Midlands Category Theory Seminar
in Leeds.
2026‑01-06
Spoke at
New Directions in Physics
in Edinburgh. [
slides
]
2025-12-12
Joined the Scientific Advisory Board of
Centre for Formal Methods and Future Computing (FORM)
.
2025-11-07
Paper
Quantum circuits are just a phase
with
Louis Lemonnier
,
Christopher McNally
, and
Alex Rice
, accepted for
ACM Principles of Programming Languages 2026
.
2025-11-07
Paper
Hadamard-Π: Equational quantum programming
with
Wang Fang
and
Robin Kaarsgaard
accepted for
ACM Principles of Programming Languages 2026
.
2026-10-21
New paper
Causal coverages in ordered locales and spacetimes
with
Nesta van der Schaaf
.
2025-10-07
New paper
One rig to control them all
with
Louis Lemonnier
and
Robin Kaarsgaard
.
2025-10-03
Seventh meeting of
CATNIP
in Edinburgh.
2025-10-02
PhD student
Matt Di Meglio
passed his PhD viva.
2025-08-26
Spoke at
CONCUR 2025
in Aarhus, Denmark. [
slides
]
2025-08-05
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
.
2025-07-28
Attended Shonan meeting
Quantum Software Engineering
in Tokyo, Japan.
2025-07-16
New paper
Quantum circuits are just a phase
with
Louis Lemonnier
,
Chris McNally
, and
Alex Rice
.
2025-07-03
Speaking at
Reversible Computing 2025
in Odense, Denmark.
2025-06-16
Speaking at
MFPS 2025
in Glasgow. [
slides
] [
video
]
2025-06-20
New paper
Hadamard-Π: Equational quantum programming
with
Wang Fang
and
Robin Kaarsgaard
.
2025-05-26
New paper
M*-categories: where limits in analysis and category theory meet
with
Matt Di Meglio
.
2025-05-25
Paper
Dagger categories and the complex numbers
with
Matt Di Meglio
published in
Applied Categorical Structures
.
2025-03-10
Joined
I'm a computer scientist, get me out of here
.
2025-02-19
Quoted in
BBC News article
.
2024-11-20
The
Quantum Informatics CDT
website is live, and applications are open!
2024-11-19
New paper
Qurts: Automatic quantum uncomputation by affine types with lilfetime
with
Kengo Hirata
accepted to
POPL
.
2024-11-24
Attended
Quantum information, quantum groups and operator algebras
programme, Cambridge.
2024-11-14
Gave
INI seminar
.
2024-11-04
Appeared in
podcast about Quantum Computing for Financial Services
.
2024-10-23
The CDT in Quantum Informatics is hiring a Centre Manager.
Apply here
.
2024-10-22
Appeared in
Quantum Technologies outreach video
.
2024-10-04
Gave
QST seminar
at Seoul National University. [
video
]
2024-09-17
Quantum Programming Zoo
went live.
2024-09-05
PhD student
Nesta van der Schaaf
passed his viva.
2024-08-01
Promoted to full professor.
2024-07-29
Gave lecture series at
Scottish Programming Languages and Verification Summer School
, University of Strathclyde.
2024-07-11
Spoke at
Computability in Europe
, Amsterdam.
2024-07-08
Spoke at
Category Theory 2024
, Spain.
2024-06-01
Paper
The quantum effect: a recipe for Quantum Pi
with
Jacques Carette
,
Robin Kaarsgaard
, and
Amr Sabry
accepted at
ICFP
2024.
2024-05-29
New paper
Compositional reversible computation
with
Jacques Carette
,
Robin Kaarsgaard
, and
Amr Sabry
, in Reversible Computation.
2024-05-03
Third meeting of
CATNIP
at Aberdeen.
2024-03-12
Centre for Doctoral Training in Quantum Informatics
announced.
2024-03-31
At least seven PhD studentships available
.
2024-03-08
Paper
Ordered locales
with
Nesta van der Schaaf
published.
2024-02-24
Paper
Axioms for the category of Hilbert spaces and linear contractions
published.
2024-01-25
PhD student
Jesse Sigal
passed his viva.
2024-01-15
New paper
Dagger categories and the complex numbers
with
Matt Di Meglio
.
2023-12-04
Second meeting of
CATNIP
at Strathclyde.
2023-11-03
The
Quantum Software Lab
has a new website!
2023-10-24
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
.
2023-09-25
We're hiring! Three vacancies for postdoctoral researchers, three years each, on the RubberDUQ project. Apply
here
and/or
here!
.
2023-09-18
Attending
Samson Abramsky on Logic and Structure in Computer Science and Beyond
workshop, London.
2023-08-29
New paper
Categories of sets with infinite addition
with Pablo Andres-Martinez.
2023-08-02
Paper
Compact inverse categories
with
Robin Cockett
published.
2023-07-10
Mentored
Adjoint School 2023
research week.
2023-07-03
Gave talk at
QPL 2023
.
2023-02-01
Mentored
Adjoint School 2023
.
2023-06-16
Giving
Theoretical computer science seminar
in Birmingham.
2023-05-02
Three talks accepted to
QPL 2023
:
Ordered Locales
,
The Quantum Effect
, and
Axioms for the category of Hilbert spaces and contractions
.
2023-06-14
New network
CATNIP
founded!
2023-03-09
Software Centre of Excellence
in Quantum and AI with
Cisco
launched.
2023-03-08
New paper
Ordered locales
with
Nesta van der Schaaf
.
2023-02-22
PhD student Nuiok Dicaire passed her viva.
2023-02-20
MScRes student Mateusz Kupper passed his examination.
2023-02-08
Paper
Sheaf representation of monoidal categories
with
Rui Soares Barbosa
was published in
Advances in Mathematics
.
2023-02-06
New paper
The quantum effect: a recipe for Quantum Pi
with
Jacques Carette
,
Robin Kaarsgaard
, and
Amr Sabry
.
2023-01-13
New paper
Duoidally enriched Freyd categories
with
Jesse Sigal
, accepted at
RAMiCS
.
2022-12-19
Organised 10th
Symposium on Compositional Structures
in Edinburgh.
2022-11-18
Gave seminar at Cambridge Quantum.
2022-11-17
Gave
London Algebra Colloquium
at Queen Mary University London.
2022-11-15
Gave
Geometric Methods in Mathematics seminar
at Technical University Dresden.
2022-11-08
New paper
Axioms for the category of Hilbert spaces and linear contractions
with Andre Kornell and
Nesta van der Schaaf
.
2022-09-01
PhD student Pablo Andres-Martinez passed his
PhD
viva.
2022-07-01
Gave course at summer school
Bicategories, Categorification and Quantum Theory
, University of Leeds.
2022-06-21
Gave tutorial at
Foundational Methods in Computer Science
, Calgary.
2022-06-13
New paper
Universal properties of partial quantum maps
with
Pablo Andres-Martinez
and
Robin Kaarsgaard
accepted for
Quantum Physics and Logic
.
2022-04-27
Gave
Algebra seminar
, Aberdeen.
2022-04-09
We're at the
Edinburgh Science Festival
with a drop-in family activity
Quantum Spies
.
2022-04-01
New postdoc Robert Booth started.
2022-04-01
Joined
IFIP
Working Group on Foundations of Quantum Computation.
2022-03-22
Gave
QuaCS
seminar.
2022-03-05
We made a
group photo
.
2022-02-25
Paper
Axioms for the category of Hilbert spaces
with Andre Kornell was published in
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
.
2022-01-27
Paper
Localisable monads
with
Carmen Constantin
and
Nuiok Dicaire
was published in
Computer Science Logic
.
2022-01-05
Paper "
Weakly measured while loops: peeking at quantum states
" with
Pablo Andres-Martinez
published in
Quantum Science and Technology
.
2021-12-07
Gave
Applied Topology Seminar
at EPFL.
2021-11-16
Gave mini course at the
Atlantic Algebra Centre
. [
videos
]
2021-11-20
Paper
The CBH characterisation theorem beyond algebraic quantum theory
with
Aleks Kissinger
published in
Information and Computation
.
2021-11-10
Gave
Online Worldwide seminar on Logic and Semantics
. [
video
] [
slides
]
2021-11-04
Gave
University Quantum Symmetries Lecture
.
2021-11-03
Gave
Edinburgh Mathematical Physics Group seminar
.
2021-10-28
Gave
Algebra seminar
at Masaryk University.
2021-10-14
Gave
Ottawa-Carleton Logic seminar
.
2021-10-13
Gave
Categorical Late Lunch
seminar.
2021-09-29
Paper
Localisable monads
with
Carmen Constantin
and
Nuiok Dicaire
was accepted for
Computer Science Logic 2022
.
2021-09-28
Paper
Quantum Information Effects
with
Robin Kaarsgaard
was accepted for
POPL 2022
.
2021-09-16
New paper "
Axioms for the category of Hilbert spaces
" with Andre Kornell.
2021-09-07
Joined the
ACM Transactions on Computational Logic
editorial board.
2021-09-21
Book "
Categories for Quantum Theory
" with
J. Vicary
translated to Japanese by
H. Kawabe
and published by
Morikita Publishing
.
2021-09-03
New paper "
Localisable Monads
" with
Carmen Constantin
and
Nuiok Dicaire
.
2021-07-27
New paper "
Quantum Information Effects
" with
R. Kaarsgaard
.
2021-10-21
Programme Committee member for
IEEE Quantum Computing and Engineering
.
2021-06-17
Gave
Topos Institute Colloquium
, June 17, 2021. [
slides
] [
video
]
2021-06-17
New paper "
Sheaf representation of monoidal categories
" with
R. Soares Barbosa
.
2021-06-10
Paper "
Tensor-restriction categories
" with J. S. P. Lemay published.
2021-06-02
Programme Committee member for
Applied Category Theory 2021
.
2021-06-01
Programme Committee Chair for
Quantum Physics and Logic
.
2021-02-18
New paper "
Bennett and Stinespring, together at last
" with
R. Kaarsgaard
.
2021-02-03
Gave
Categorical Late Lunch
.
2021-01-07
My student Pau Enrique Moliner passed his PhD examination.
2020-11-20
Gave "
Calgary Peripatetic Seminar
". [
annotated
slides
]
2020‑11-09
Paper
The CBH characterisation theorem beyond algebraic quantum theory
with
Aleks Kissinger
accepted for publication in
Information and Computation
.
2020-09-28
New paper "
Tensor-restriction categories
" with
J. S. Pacaud Lemay
.
2020-09-21
New paper "
A quantum while loop for amplitude amplification
with
P. Andres-Martinez
, with
video
poster
at
QuAlg
.
2020-09-01
New PhD student Nesta van der Schaaf started.
2020‑08-21
Summer student Ronan Dance wrote a
blog
.
2020-05-22
Paper
Topos quantum theory with short posets
with
J. Harding
accepted for publication in
Order
.
2020-05-01
Robert Furber
started as a postdoctoral researcher in Edinburgh.
2020-03-16
Carmen Constantin
started as a postdoctoral researcher in Edinburgh.
2020-03-07
Paper
Tensor topology
accepted for
Journal for Pure and Applied Algebra
.
2019-11-14
The book
Categories for Quantum Theory
with
Jamie Vicary
has been published!
2019-11-12
Invited
pure mathematics seminar
in Leicester.
2019-08-02
Paper
Automated distribution of quantum circuits
with
Pablo Andres Martinez
accepted for publication in
Physical Review A
.
2019-07-17
Attended
Higher rank graphs
workshop in Edinburgh.
2019-07-15
Spoke at Edinburgh-Paris joint Quantum workshop. [
slides
]
2019-07-08
Organised
Category Theory 2019
in Edinburgh
2019-07-08
Spoke at
Category Theory 2019
, Edinburgh. [
slides
]
2019-06-10
New paper
Compact inverse categories
with
Robin Cockett
.
2019-06-05
New paper
Monoidal characterisation of groupoids and connectors
with
Marino Gran
and
Sean Tull
accepted for
Topology and its Applications
.
2019-05-22
New paper
Ontological models for quantum theory as functors
with
Andru Gheorghiu
accepted for
QPL 2019
.
2019-03-05
New paper
Topos quantum theory with short posets
with
John Harding
2018-12-14
My PhD student
Martti Karvonen
passed his viva.
2018-11-27
New paper
Automated distribution of quantum circuits
with
Pablo Andres Martinez
.
2018-10-24
Attended Royal Society course on Introduction to Public Engagement.
2018-11-07
My PhD student
Sean Tull
passed his viva.
2018-10-15
New PhD student
Nuiok Dicaire
started.
2018-10-02
New paper
Tensor topology
with
Pau Enrique Moliner
and
Sean Tull
.
2018-09-12
My EPSRC Fellowship was
extended
for 3 more years.
2018-09-05
Became a
Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
.
2018-08-24
The journal
Compositionality
is now open for submissions.
2018-08-08
My thesis has been translated in
Japanese
.
2018-08-06
Sean Tull started as a postdoctoral researcher in Edinburgh, August 6, 2018.
2018-07-16
Spoke at
Quantum Structures
conference in Kazan. [
slides
]
2018-07-08
Spoke at
Category Theory
conference in Ponta Delgada. [
slides
]
2018-06-06
Spoke at
Mathematical Foundations of Programming Semantics
conference. [
slides
]
2018-06-03
Attended
Quantum Physics and Logic
conference.
2018-05-29
Gave LFCS lab lunch, May 29, 2018. [
slides
]
2018-05-15
My student
Vaia Patta
got her PhD.
2018-05-14
New paper
Reversible effects as inverse arrows
with
Robin Kaarsgaard
and
Martti Karvonen
accepted to
MFPS 2018
.
2018-03-19
Organised
Combining Viewpoints in Quantum Theory
workshop in Edinburgh.
2018-03-18
New paper
Limits in dagger categories
with
Martti Karvonen
.
2018-03-04
Lectured course at
Estonian Winter Schools in Computer Science
, Palmse.
2018-01-30
Spoke at
QUISCO meeting
, Edinburgh, Jan 30, 2018. [
slides
]
2018-01-26
Invited seminar at
Intensional and extensional aspects of computation
, Tokyo, January 2018. [
slides
]
2018-01-24
Blog post
about FreeTikZ.
2018-01-15
Wrote
FreeTikZ
, a webbased tool converting freehand drawing into tikz.
2017-12-15
Spoke at Semantics and Tools for Functional Quantum Programming Languages workshop, Berkeley. [
slides
]
2017-12-11
Spoke at
Logical Structures in Computing
workshop, Berkeley. [
slides
]
2017-11-17
Organising
Categories Logic and Physics
workshop in Edinburgh.
2017-11-20
Research visit by
Noam Zeilberger
in Edinburgh.
2017-11-15
Invited
Category Theory Seminar
in Louvain-la-Neuve.
2017-11-13
Research visit to
Marino Gran
in Louvain-la-Neuve.
2017-11-10
New paper
Boolean subalgebras of orthoalgebras
with
J. Harding
,
B. Lindenhovius
, and
M. Navara
.
2017-10-31
Invited
Mathematics, Statistics and Physics
seminar at Newcastle University.
2017-10-05
Invited
Functional Programming
seminar at University of St Andrews. [
slides
]
2017-09-27
Attended meeting of the
Edinburgh Mathematical Society
, Edinburgh.
2017-09-21
Paper "Denotational validation of higher-order Bayesian inference" accepted for
POPL
.
2017-09-20
Paper
Can a quantum state over time resemble a quantum state at a single time?
published in
Proceedings of the Royal Society A
.
2017-09-13
Attending
QUISCO
workshop in Glasgow.
2017-09-01
New PhD student Pablo Andres Martinez, September 2017.
2017-08-15
Summer student Leo Lobski wrote a
blog
.
2017-07-10
Taught a
PhD summer course
in Pisa.
2017-07-03
Speaking at conference
Quantum Physics and Logic
in Nijmegen. [
slides
]
2017-06-26
Attended workshop on
Applications of operator algebras: order, disorder and symmetry
in Edinburgh.
2017-06-20
Attended conference
Logic in Computer Science
in Reykjavik.
2017-05-02
New paper
Purity through factorisation
with
Oscar Cunningham
.
2017-05-02
New paper
Space in monoidal categories
with
Pau Enrique Moliner
and
Sean Tull
2017-04-06
New paper
Frobenius structures over Hilbert C*-modules
with
Manny Reyes
.
2017-04-05
Spoke at
Categories Logic and Physics Scotland
in Glasgow. [
slides
]
2017-03-29
Invited lecture at
Young Functional Analysts' Workshop
in Glasgow.
2017-03-22
Gave
MAXIMALS seminar
at Heriot-Watt University. [
slides
]
2017-03-10
Attending probabilistic programming languages workshop at
Bellairs
.
2017-02-15
Computer and Information Sciences
seminar at University of Strathclyde. [
slides
]
2017-02-07
LFCS Lab lunch
talk. [
slides
]
2017-01-10
New paper
A convenient category for higher-order probability theory
with
Ohad Kammar
,
Sam Staton
, and
Hongseok Yang
.
2016-12-05
Gave
Category Theory seminar
at Vrije Universiteit Brussel.
[slides]
2016-12-04
Research visit to
Marino Gran
in Louvain-la-Neuve.
2016-12-02
Invited lecture at
Scottish Operator Algebras Research meeting
in Glasgow.
[slides]
2016-11-30
Organising
Categories Logic and Physics Scotland
in Glasgow.
2016-11-02
Paper
Monads on dagger categories
with
Martti Karvonen
accepted for
Theory and Applications of Categories
.
2016-10-12
Elected founding editor of
Quantum
journal.
2016-10-09
New PhD student Pau Enrique Moliner.
2016-10-08
Gave
Logical Structures in Computation
seminar in Berkeley.
[slides]
2016-10-01
Invited lecture at
Uncertainty in Computation
in Berkeley.
[slides]
[video]
2016-10-01
Research visit by
Phil Scott
in Edinburgh.
2016-09-29
Attended
Logical Structures in Computation
in Berkeley.
2016-07-15
Elected Councillor of the
International Quantum Structures Association
.
2016-07-14
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
.
2016-07-13
New paper
Discretization of C*-algebras
with
Manny Reyes
.
2016-07-06
Research visit by
John Harding
in Edinburgh.
2016-06-28
Performed at
Bright Club
Edinburgh.
[video]
2016-06-28
Joined
Reversible computing
COST action.
2016-06-06
Chaired and organised
Quantum Physics and Logic
in Glasgow.
2016-06-03
Research visit by
Ravi Kunjwal
in Edinburgh.
2016-05-30
Research visit by
Oscar Cunningham
in Edinburgh.
2016-05-16
Research visit to
Manny Reyes
in Brunswick.
2016-05-04
Gave
Edinburgh Mathematical Physics Group
seminar.
2016-04-26
Invited lecture at
Workshop on Information and Processes
in Paris.
[slides]
2016-04-20
New paper
Can quantum theory be characterized in information-theoretic terms
with
Aleks Kissinger
.
2016-04-11
Research visit by
Sean Tull
in Edinburgh.
2016-04-14
Organised
Categories Logic and Physics Scotland
in Edinburgh.
2016-04-12
Attended
LFCS30
in Edinburgh
2016-04-11
Attended
WadlerFest
in Edinburgh.
2016-04-04
Paper
Semantics for probabilistic programming
accepted for
LiCS
.
2016-03-16
Attended
Scottish Operator Algebra Research meeting
in Aberdeen, March 16-17, 2016.
2016-02-25
Gave
Mathematical Physics
seminar in York.
[slides]
2016-02-17
New MSc course Categories and Quantum Informatics approved.
2016-02-13
New paper
Monads on dagger categories
with
Martti Karvonen
.
2016-01-26
Research visit to
Marino Gran
in Louvain-la-Neuve.
2016-01-23
Attended
Research leader programme
.
2016-01-19
New paper
Semantics for probabilistic programming: higher-order functions, continuous distributions, and soft constraints
with
Sam Staton
,
Hongseok Yang
,
Ohad Kammar
, and
Frank Wood
.
2016-01-10
Joined the
Scottish Operator Algebra Research
network.
2015-12-21
Published paper
Reversible monadic computing
with
Martti Karvonen
.
2015-12-04
Attended
Quantum Information Scotland
day in Glasgow.
2015-12-04
New paper
The category of matroids
with
Vaia Patta
.
2015-11-05
Published paper
Axiomatizing complete positivity
with
Oscar Cunningham
.
2015-11-05
Published paper
Categories of relations as models of quantum theory
with
Sean Tull
.
2015-11-04
Edited
Proceedings of the 12th International Workshop on Quantum Physics and Logic
with
Peter Selinger
and
Jamie Vicary
.
2015‑10-27
Gave
LFCS Lab lunch
talk.
[slides]
2015-10-19
Invited lectures at
Higher TQFT and categorical quantum mechanics
workshop in Vienna.
[slides]
2015-10-16
Research visit by
Bram Westerbaan
in Edinburgh.
2015-10-12
Joined the
Quantum Information Scotland
network.
2015-10-10
Programme committee of
Foundations of Software Science and Computer Structures
.
2015-10-01
New PhD student
Martti Karvonen
.
2015-10-01
Joined the
School of Informatics
of the University of Edinburgh.
2015-08-25
Invited lecture at
Domains XII
in Cork.
[slides]
2015-07-06
Published paper
Domains of commutative C*-subalgebras
with Bert Lindenhovius.
2015-06-24
Invited lecture at
Conference on Algebra and Coalgebra in Computer Science
in Nijmegen.
[slides]
2015-06-22
Attended
Mathematical Foundations of Programming Semantics
conference in Nijmegen.
2015‑05-07
Invited lecture at
Amsterdam Quantum Logic workshop
in Amsterdam.
[slides]
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