Arjan Cornelissen

Personal information

Name:	Arjan Cornelissen
Affiliation:	Quantum Computing Group – Department of Computer Science – Cambridge University
Work address:
	William Gates Building
	15 JJ Thomson Avenue
	Cambridge, CB3 0FD, United Kingdom
Email:	`ajcornelissen at outlook dot com`
Links:	CV, Google Scholar, GitHub, YouTube, LinkedIn

Publications

Arjan Cornelissen, Simon Apers, Sander Gribling. Improved quantum volume estimation with transducers and amortized quantum walks.
[arXiv]
Arjan Cornelissen, Nikhil S. Mande, Nithish Raja. Subcube Stifling.
[arXiv]
Arjan Cornelissen, Amin Shiraz Gilani, Subhasree Patro. Quantum algorithms for path and cycle containment problems.
Accepted to the International Conference on Randomization and Computation (RANDOM 2026).
[arXiv]
Arjan Cornelissen, Nikhil S. Mande, Subhasree Patro, Nithish Raja, Swagato Sanyal. Quantum Search With Generalized Wildcards.
Presented at the 21st Conference on the Theory of Quantum Computation, Communication and Cryptography (TQC 2026).
[arXiv]
Simon Apers, Arjan Cornelissen, Samson Wang. Randomized and quantum approximate matrix multiplication.
Presented at the 51st conference on Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science (MFCS 2026).
[arXiv]
Arjan Cornelissen. Quantum walks through generalized graph composition.
[arXiv]
Arjan Cornelissen, Joao F. Doriguello, Alessandro Luongo, Ewin Tang. Do you know what q-means?
Accepted as a highlighted talk to the 9th International Conference on Quantum Techniques in Machine Learning (QTML 2025).
Accepted to Quantum Computing Theory in Practice (QCTiP 2026).
[arXiv]
Arjan Cornelissen. Quantum algorithms through graph composition.
Presented to Quantum Computing Theory in Practice (QCTiP 2026).
Presented at the 21st Conference on the Theory of Quantum Computation, Communication and Cryptography (TQC 2026).
[arXiv]
Arjan Cornelissen, Simon Apers, Sander Gribling. How to compute the volume in low dimension?
In proceedings of the 52nd EATCS International Colloquium on Automata, Languages, and Programming (ICALP 2025).
[arXiv, Conference version]
Arjan Cornelissen, Nikhil S. Mande, Subhasree Patro. Quantum sabotage complexity.
In proceedings of the IARCS Annual Conference on Foundations of Software Technology and Theoretical Computer Science (FSTTCS 2024).
[arXiv, Conference version]
Arjan Cornelissen. Quantum multivariate estimation and span program algorithms.
PhD Thesis at the Unviersity of Amsterdam (UvA).
[UvA-DARE]
Sofiene Jerbi, Arjan Cornelissen, Māris Ozols, Vedran Dunjko. Quantum policy gradient algorithms.
In proceedings of the 18th Conference on the Theory of Quantum Computation, Communication and Cryptography (TQC 2023).
[arXiv, Conference version]
Joran van Apeldoorn, Arjan Cornelissen, András Gilyén, Giacomo Nannicini. Quantum tomography using state-preparation unitaries.
In proceedings of the Symposium on Discrete Algorithms (SODA 2023).
Presented at the 26th Annual Conference on Quantum Information Processing (QIP 2023).
[arXiv, Conference version]
Arjan Cornelissen, Yassine Hamoudi. A Sublinear-Time Quantum Algorithm for Approximating Partition Functions.
In proceedings of the Symposium on Discrete Algorithms (SODA 2023).
Presented at the 26th Annual Conference on Quantum Information Processing (QIP 2023).
[arXiv, Conference version]
Arjan Cornelissen, Nikhil S. Mande, Subhasree Patro. Improved Quantum Query Upper Bounds Based on Classical Decision Trees.
Presented at the 17th Conference on the Theory of Quantum Computation, Communication and Cryptography (TQC 2022).
In proceedings of the 42nd IARCS Annual Conference on Foundations of Software Technology and Theoretical Computer Science (FSTTCS 2022).
Published in Quantum.
[arXiv, Conference version, Journal version]
Arjan Cornelissen, Nikhil S. Mande, Maris Ozols, Ronald de Wolf. Exact quantum query complexity of computing Hamming weight modulo powers of two and three.
[arXiv]
Arjan Cornelissen, Yassine Hamoudi, Sofiene Jerbi. Near-Optimal Quantum Algorithms for Multivariate Mean Estimation.
Presented at the 25th Annual Conference on Quantum Information Processing (QIP 2022).
In Proceedings of the 54th Annual ACM Symposium on Theory of Computing (STOC 2022).
[arXiv, Conference version]
Arjan Cornelissen, Sofiene Jerbi. Quantum algorithms for multivariate Monte Carlo estimation.
[arXiv]
Arjan Cornelissen, Johannes Bausch, András Gilyén. Scalable Benchmarks for Gate-Based Quantum Computers.
[arXiv]
Arjan Cornelissen, Stacey Jeffery, Maris Ozols, Alvaro Piedrafita. Span programs and quantum time complexity.
In Proceedings of the 45th International Symposium on Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science (MFCS 2020).
[arXiv, Conference version]
Arjan Cornelissen. Quantum gradient estimation of Gevrey functions.
[arXiv]

Talks

Amortized quantum walks with transducers (September 15th, 2026).
Talk at the workshop on Quantum Models of Computation at QuSoft.
[Slides]
Quantum algorithms through graph composition.
Talk at King's Quantum. (October 7th, 2025). [Slides]
Talk at Department of Computer Science at Royal Holloway, University of London. (October 8th, 2025). [Slides]
Talk at Quantum Innovators at IQC. (October 28th, 2025). [Slides]
Talk at QuICS. (November 5th, 2025). [Slides]
Talk at the Quantum Computing Theory in Practice (QCTiP 2026). (April 20th, 2026). [Slides]
Talk at the 20th Conference on Theory of Quantum Computation, Communication and Cryptography (TQC 2026). (August 31st, 2026). [Slides]
Quantum walks through generalized graph composition (September 30th, 2025).
Talk at the QuLunch seminar at QuSoft.
[Slides]
How to estimate the volume in low dimension? (July 23rd, 2025).
Talk at the 2025 International Conference on Continuous Optimization (ICCOPT 2025).
[Slides]
Quantum algorithms through composition of graphs (April 3rd, 2025).
Talk at the QuLunch seminar at QuSoft.
[Slides]
Quantum algorithms through composition of graphs (March 26th, 2025).
Talk at the Algocomp Seminar at IRIF.
[Slides]
Quantum sabotage complexity (August 27th, 2024).
Talk at the Algocomp Seminar at IRIF.
[Slides]
Volume Estimation (May 8th, 2024).
Talk at the IQC-PCQT Workshop.
[Slides]
A sublinear time quantum algorithm for approximating partition functions (August 24th, 2023).
Talk at the EUROpt Workshop: continuous optimization working group is coming home (EUROpt 2023).
[Slides]
Improved Quantum Query Upper Bounds Based on Classical Decision Trees (May 17th, 2023).
Talk at the EPIQ kickoff (EPIQ).
[Slides]
Introduction to Quantum Algorithms -- Grover's Algorithm (April 27th, 2023).
Talk at the Non-Permanents' Seminar at IRIF.
[Slides]
Quantum tomography using state-preparation unitaries (February 6th, 2023).
Talk at the 26th Conference on Quantum Information Processing (QIP 2023).
[Recording, Slides]
A sublinear time quantum algorithm for approximating partition functions (January 22nd, 2023).
Talk at the Symposium of Discrete Algorithms (SODA 2023).
[Slides]
Lower bound on quantum full mixed-state tomography (August 18th, 2022).
Talk at the Quantum Theory group at IBM Quantum, at the Thomas J. Watson Research Center in Yorktown Heights, New York.
[Slides]
Improved Quantum Query Upper Bounds Based on Classical Decision Trees (July 11th, 2022).
Talk at the 17th Conference on Theory of Quantum Computation, Communication and Cryptography (TQC 2022).
[Recording, Slides]
Quantum Algorithms for Multivariate Mean Estimation (April 20th, 2022).
Talk at the AlgoComp Seminar at IRIF.
[Recording, Slides]
Near-Optimal Quantum Algorithms for Multivariate Mean Estimation (March 10th, 2022).
Talk at the 25th Annual Conference on Quantum Information Processing (QIP 2022).
[Recording, Slides]
Reflection programs and quantum approximate counting (November 9th, 2021).
Invited talk at the Analysis Seminar at the Analysis Group at the Delft University of Technology.
[Slides]
Quantum algorithms for multivariate Monte Carlo estimation (September 15th, 2021).
Talk at the Junior Seminar of QuSoft.
[Slides]
A self-contained, simplified analysis of span program algorithms (September 18th, 2020).
Invited talk at the theory seminar of QuSoft.
[Slides]
Span programs and quantum time complexity (August 26th, 2020).
At the 45th International Symposium on Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science (MFCS 2020).
[Recording, Slides]
Span programs and quantum time complexity (June 22nd, 2020).
Invited talk at the colloquium of the Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC).
[Recording, Slides]
Quantum gradient estimation and its application to reinforcement learning (June 5th, 2019).
Invited talk at the theory seminar of QuTech.
[Slides]
Quantum gradient estimation (April 24th, 2019).
Invited talk at the Dutch Mathematical Congress (NMC 2019).
[Slides]
The triangle finding problem (April 3rd, 2019).
Talk at the Junior Seminar of QuSoft.
[Handout]

Notes

Overview of relations of complexity measures for total boolean functions.
[Figure, Table]

Experience

PostDoc in Quantum Computing at the Department of Computer Science at Cambridge University, United Kingdom. (September 2026 – present)
Supervisor: Tom Gur.
PostDoc in Quantum Computing at Simons Institute for the Theory of Computing in Berkeley, California, United States of America. (September 2024 – August 2026)
Supervisor: Umesh Vazirani.
PostDoc in Quantum Computing at Institut de Recherche en Informatique Fondamentale (IRIF) in Paris, France. (January 2023 – August 2024)
Department: Algorithmes et complexité (AlgoComp).
Supervisor: Simon Apers.
Internship at IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center in Yorktown Heights, NY. (May 2022 – August 2022)
Supervisor: Kristan Temme.
PhD in Quantum Computing at University of Amsterdam (UvA) in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. (October 2018 – December 2022)
Department: QuSoft.
Defence date: February 17th, 2023.
Supervisor: Māris Ozols.
Master Applied Mathematics at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) in Delft, the Netherlands. (September 2016 – September 2018)
Master thesis: Quantum gradient estimation and its application to quantum reinforcement learning. [PDF]
Supervisors: Martijn Caspers and Ronald de Wolf.
Bachelor Applied Mathematics & Applied Physics at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) in Delft, the Netherlands. (September 2013 – July 2016)
Bachelor thesis: Quantum Computation: Shor's algorithm. [PDF]
Supervisors: Jan van Neerven and Miriam Blaauboer.

Teaching

Introduction to Quantum Computing 2018, 2019, 2020.
Role: Teaching Assistant.
As part of this course, I developed an automated judging system for quantum programming exercises called Qtest.
Quantum Information Theory 2019.
Role: Teaching Assistant.
Quantum Quest 2018.
Role: Teaching Assistant (quantum pilgrim).

Awards

ASML Graduation Prize for Mathematics 2018.
Award for my Master thesis.
Young Talent and Encouragement Award 2014.
Award for obtaining the highest average grade in the first year of my Bachelor program.

Contests

Google Hashcode
2022: Ranked 737rd out of 9031 teams with the team repo-is-private-this-year.
2021: Ranked 22nd out of 9004 teams with the team Reported Benefit.
2020: Ranked 128th out of 10724 teams with the team sudo lose.
Google Code Jam (participating with username arriopolis)
2022: Ranked 2287th in Round 2 of the competition.
2021: Ranked 1752nd in Round 2 of the competition.
Benelux Algorithm and Programming Contest (BAPC)
2021: Ranked 5th out of 15 company teams with the team CWI 1.
2020: Ranked 2nd out of 9 company teams with the team CWI 1.
2019: Ranked 4th out of 12 company teams with the team QuSoft/CWI.
2017: Ranked 17th out of 44 student teams with the team Roses are #FF0000.
2016: Ranked 39th out of 51 student teams with the team Correct the record.
North-Western European Regional Contest (NWERC)
2017: Ranked 42nd out of 119 student teams with the team Roses are #FF0000.
International Mathematics Championship (IMC)
2019: Ranked 227th out of 360 participants.
2018: Ranked 126th out of 351 participants.
2017: Ranked 72nd out of 331 participants.

Hobby projects

Scratch map of all the places I have visited. [Source]
Aftermovie of a car rally to the north of Europe in 2019.
Nonogram solver. [Source]
Wythoff's game. [Source]
Video series on how to solve the Rubik's cube (very old and in Dutch).

Latest update: .