Curriculum Vitae

Updated 12/2024

Blake A. Wilson

Research Scientist @ Quantinuum

Electrical and Computer Engineering Ph.D. and founder of the NanoML team at Purdue University developing machine learning algorithms for generative AI, quantum optimization and photonic design. 12+ years of experience in software engineering and 9+ years in algorithm design and analysis.

Skills

AI for QC |

Generative Modeling |

Computational E&M |

Computer Vision |

Combinatorial Optimization |

Photonic Design |

Python |

PyTorch |

C/C++ |

Lambeq |

Braket |

Julia |

CUDA |

HPC |

Git |

AWS |

Linux |

VLSI |

Neovim |

Assembly |

Public Speaking |

Grant Writing |

Publishing |

DEI |

Conference Organizing |

Open-Source |

Research Leadership |

Education

Doctorate of Philosophy	Electrical and Computer Engineering	2019 - 2024
Bachelor of Science	Computer Engineering	2015 - 2019

Experience

QNLP and Generative AI	Research Scientist	Quantinuum, Oxford	2024 -

Advising AI for Quantum collaboration between Purdue University and Broomfield office for the development of generative AI models for integrated photonics devices. NDAs signed and discussing hiring a full-time PhD student.
Executing a generative AI proposal for building new latent graph diffusion models for quantum circuit synthesis and transpilation, graph optimization for neural architecture search, and QNLP diagram generation.
Contributed to the reliability of lambeq by reworking symbolic library backend and simplifying quantum circuit transpilation.

NanoML	Team Lead	Purdue University	2021 -

Published quantum machine learning algorithms for designing meta-optical devices, achieving a 16200% quantum speed-up resulting in a major milestone for the Quantum Science Center with two news articles and 30 citations.
Advising several projects as a visiting researcher for the development of latent optimization and generative AI for quantum photonics application and device design.
Raised $27k in computing resources through grants, saved $40k in ML costs through server maintenance, and assisted in raising $200k+ for the QSC Summer Schools.
Led the development of attention-based models for tackling the $75B counterfeit chip market leading to a 55,000x speed-up and 41% accuracy increase in the verification of semiconductor devices.

Quantum Machine Learning	Algorithms Researcher	QuEra Computing	2022

Demonstrated comparative advantage on neutral atoms for generative AI sampling of photonic devices.
Set team research objectives and wrote quantum simulation software in Python and Julia to simulate Rydberg atom systems for analysis.
Verified early-access, open-source, flagship neutral atom simulation software Bloqade on machine learning sampling tasks.

Publications

Bezick, M., Wilson, B., Iyer, V., Chen, Y., Shalaev, V., Kais, S., Kildishev, A., Boltasseva, A., Lackey, B., PearSAN: A Machine Learning Method for Inverse Design using Pearson Correlated Surrogate Annealing, arXiv:2412.19284
Wilson, B., Chen, Y., Singh, D.K., Ojha, R., Pottle, J., Bezick, M., Boltasseva, A., Shalaev, V., Kildishev, A., Authentication Through Residual, Attention-based Processing of Tampered Optical Responses, Advanced Photonics, Vol. 6, Issue 5, 056002 (July 2024).
Wilson, B., Wurtz, J., Mkhitaryan, V., Bezick, M., Wang, S.T., Kais, S., Shalaev, V., Boltasseva, A., Non-native Quantum Generative Optimization with Adversarial Autoencoders, arXiv:2407.13830
Wilson, B., Dickey, E., Iyer, V., Kais, S., A Relative Church-Turing-Deutsch Thesis from Special Relativity and Undecidability, In Peer-Review, arXiv:2206.06419
Wilson, B., Hudack, J., Sundaram, S., Planning for Package Deliveries in Risky Environments Over Multiple Epochs, American Controls Conference 2022, arXiv:2110.09917
Wilson, B., Kudyshev, Z., Kildishev, A., Shalaev, V., Kais, S., Boltasseva, A., Machine Learning Framework for Quantum Sampling of Highly-Constrained, Continuous Optimization Problems, Applied Physics Reviews, 8, 041418, (Impact Factor: 19.16)
Wilson, B., Kudyshev, Z., Kildishev, A., Shalaev, V., Kais, S., Boltasseva, A., Metasurface Design Optimization via D-Wave based Sampling, CLEO 2021
Wilson, B., Bounds on Sweep-Covers by Raney Numbers, Preprint, arXiv:2009.08549
Wilson, B., Prasad, A., Sundaram, S., Multiple Pursuers Under Partial Information from Sensors, Preprint Available

Conference

Bezick, M., Wilson, B., Iyer, V., Chen, Y., Shalaev, V., Kais, S., Kildishev, A., Boltasseva, A., Lackey, B., PearSAN: an inverse design framework for the latent optimization of photonic devices using Pearson Correlated Surrogate Annealing, APS Global Physics Summit March Meeting (2024)
Chen, Y., Bezick, M., Wilson, B., Kildishev, A., Boltasseva, A., Shalaev, V., Physics-conditioned deep generative model for high-efficiency metasurface thermal emitter design, APS Global Physics Summit March Meeting (2024)
Wilson, B., Chen, Y., Singh, D.K., Ojha, R., Pottle, J., Bezick, M., Boltasseva, A., Shalaev, V., Kildishev, A., Machine-learning-assisted optical authentication of chip tampering, Photonic Computing: From Materials and Devices to Systems and Applications (2024)
Tandon, S., Welling, A., Wilson, B., Mkhitaryan, V., Shalaev, V., Boltasseva, A., Computational Electromagnetics and Green’s Function Source Optimization of Variational Quantum Algorithms, Purdue University Spring Undergraduate Research Conference (2024)
Tandon, S., Welling, A., Wilson, B., Mkhitaryan, V., Shalaev, V., Boltasseva, A., Discrete, Tunable Wavefront Engineering using Binary Quadratic Optimization, Purdue University Spring Undergraduate Research Conference (2024)
Chitturi, G., Do, T., Chen, Y., Wilson, B., Shalaev, V., Boltasseva, A., Senichev, A., Machine learning-assisted rapid clustering and mechanism exploration of single photon emitters, Purdue University Spring Undergraduate Research Conference (2024)
Malavathu, R., Wilson, B., Boltasseva, A., NanoMCMC and Polytensor, Purdue University Spring Undergraduate Research Conference (2024)
Bezick, M., Iyer, V., Wilson, B., Boltasseva, A., Applications of Variational Neural Annealing for Machine Learning-Assisted Topological Optimization, Purdue University Spring Undergraduate Research Conference (2024)
Singh, D.K., Ojha, R., Chen, Y., Wilson, B., Bezick, M., Boltasseva, A., Shalaev, V., Kildishev, A., Machine Learning Realization of PUFS with Random Plasmonic Systems, CI + AI Cyberinfrastructure Symposium (2023)
Bezick, M., Wilson, B., Boltasseva, A., Latent Diffusion for Material Topology Sampling, CI + AI Cyberinfrastructure Symposium (2023)
Wilson, B., Iyer, V., Shalaev, V., Kildishev, A., Kais, S., Boltasseva, A., Learning Van der Waals Potentials in Surrogate Rydberg Hamiltonians, 3rd Annual Quantum Summer School (2023)
Bezick, M., Wilson, B., Boltasseva, A., Denoising Diffusion for Material Topology Sampling, Spring Undergraduate Research citation (2023)
Singh, D.K., Chen, Y., Wilson, B., Boltasseva, A., Shalaev, V., Kildishev, A., Plasmonic nanoparticle densities for physical verification of unclonable spectral tags in microelectronics packaging, Spring Undergraduate Research citation (2023)
Wilson, B., Chen, Y., Shalaev, V., Kildishev, A., Kais, S., Boltasseva, A., Empowering Quantum 2.0 Devices and Approaches with Machine Learning (QTu2A.13), Quantum 2.0 (2022)
Wilson, B., Iyer, V., Shalaev, V., Kildishev, A., Kais, S., Boltasseva, A., Metasurface Compression Analysis via bVAE Reconstruction Loss, ECE Elmore Emerging Frontiers Center Poster Session (2022)
Boltasseva, A., Shalaev, V., Wilson, B., Machine learning for photonics Active Photonic Platforms, 2022, PC121960T
Wilson, B., Mkhitaryan, V., Shalaev, V., Kildishev, A., Kais, S., Boltasseva, A., Source Shaping for Electromagnetic Optimization via Higher-Order Variational Quantum Algorithms, 2nd Annual Quantum Summer School (2022)
Wilson, B., Chen, Y., Shalaev, V., Kildishev, A., Kais, S., Boltasseva, A., Machine Learning for Nanophotonic Design and Quantum Measurements, Purdue Elmore Center (2021)

In the News

RAPTOR takes a bite out of global counterfeit semiconductor market	Purdue Research Foundation	2024
Purdue Engineers Tackle Counterfeit Chips with AI-Powered RAPTOR	Astute	2024
RAPTOR Turns a Beady Eye Onto Counterfeit or Maliciously Modified Chips	Hackster.io	2024
AI-powered optical detection to thwart counterfeit chips	SPIE	2024
ECE researchers develop quantum machine learning algorithm for optimizing arbitrary engineering problems	Purdue ECE News	2022
Senior Design Spotlight - Team ABCD [Lumenodes Automatic Marching Band Lights]	Purdue ECE News	2019

Extended Experience

Research Scientist	AI for Quantum Team	Quantinuum, London	2025 -
Research Scientist	Oxford QNLP Group	Quantinuum, Oxford	2024 - 2025
Visiting Researcher	NanoML	Purdue University	2024 -
Team Lead and Founder	NanoML	Purdue University	2021 - 2024
Research Assistant	Elmore Family School of ECE	Purdue University	2019 - 2024
Algorithms Graduate Researcher	Elmore Emerging Frontiers Center	Purdue University	2021 - 2024
Quantum Algorithms Graduate Researcher	Quantum Science Center	Oak Ridge National Laboratory	2021 - 2024
Quantum Algorithms Researcher	QuEra Computing	Harvard University / MIT	2022
Summer Undergraduate Research Fellow	Elmore Family School of ECE	Purdue University	2017

Affiliations

Quantum for AI Team	Quantinuum, London	2024 -
Oxford Theory Group	Quantinuum, Oxford	2024 - 2025
Quantum Science Institute	Purdue University	2020 - 2024
Oak Ridge National Laboratory	Quantum Science Center	2020 - 2024
Quantum Applications and Algorithms	QuEra Computing	2022
Summer Undergraduate Research Fellow	Purdue University	2017

Leadership

NanoML Team Lead	NanoML Team	2021 -
Quantum Science Center Summer School Committee	Quantum Science Center	2021 -
Quantum Science Center PGA Team Lead	Quantum Science Center	2021 - 2022
SURF Graduate Mentor	Purdue SURF	2022 - 2023
Elmore Center Poster Session Committee	Elmore Center	2022
Graduate Teaching Assistant	Purdue ECE	2020 - 2021
SURF Graduate Assistant	Purdue SURF	2020
SURF Symposium Planning Committee	Purdue SURF	2020
Stories of Success: Fireside Chat Host	Purdue ECE	2019 - 2020
ECE Shop Graduate Assistant	Purdue ECE	2019 - 2020
Software Team Lead	SoCET Team, Purdue	2018 - 2019
Resident Assistant	Purdue University	2020 - 2021
Volunteer Robotics Teacher	Muslim Learning Society	2014
First Robotics Software Team Lead	Plainfield Earthquakers	2013 - 2015
Video Game Lead Developer	Wired Vision Games	2012 - 2015

Speaking

Academic Research Panel Member	Qiskit Fall Fest	2023
Panel Moderator	QSC Summer School	2022 - 2024
American Controls Conference	ACC	2022
SURF Graduate Mentor	Purdue University	2020 - 2023
Fireside Chat Interviewer	Quantum Science Center	2021 - 2022
Stories of Success Fireside Chat Host	Purdue University	2019 - 2020

Grants

AWS Braket Research Grant	Amazon	2023 - 2024
ACC 2022 Student Travel Grant	ACC 2022	2022
Universities Space Research Association Quantum (Cycle 4)	NASA Ames Center	2020 – 2021
Leadership Computing Facility D-Wave	Oak Ridge	2020

Competition

2nd Place National Rube Goldberg Competition	Purdue University	2016
2nd Place Purdue First Robotics Regionals	Purdue University	2014
3rd Place IUPUI Mathematics Competition	Indiana University Purdue University of Indianapolis	2014

Software

Web Development	NanoML Team	2023 -
Custom Arch Linux Setup	Linux	2022 -
Neovim Personal Configuration	Linux	2022 -
ClearML Server Management	Linux	2022 -
Bloqade Rydberg Atom Simulations	QuEra Computing	2022 -
NanoML Experiment Manager	Python	2023
OpenAI Automatic Documentation Builder	OpenAI	2023
OpenAI + Alexa API Integration	OpenAI	2022
CEM Codes (Diffraction, Capacitor)	Purdue ECE	2021
ECE Shop Sign (RGB LED + Web Server)	Purdue ECE	2019
Bluetooth Controlled Powerstrip	Purdue ECE Embedded Sys.	2018
32-bit MIPS Processor from scratch	Purdue ECE 437	2018
VLSI Clock-Tree Synthesis Project	Purdue ECE 595	2018
Ethernet Packet Sniffer	Purdue ECE 337	2018
Multiple Pursuers and Sweep-Covers Enumeration	Purdue ECE Research	2017
8-bit Breadboard PC - Synchronized Clock	Personal Hobby	2017
Tanvas Image Processing and Material Analysis	Northwestern Hackathon	2016
Zombie Video Game	Wired Vision Games	2014
Falling Balls Android Game	Personal Hobby	2013

Extended Work

Graduate Research Assistant (Alexandra Boltasseva)	Purdue University	2019 - 2024
Committee Member	QSC Summer School	2021 - 2023
Advisor	Qiskit Fall Fest	2023
Quantum Algorithms Researcher	QuEra Computing	2022
Postdoctoral and Graduate Student Association Team Lead	Quantum Science Center	2021 - 2022
Graduate Research Assistant (Shreyas Sundaram)	Purdue University	2021
ECE Shop Graduate Assistant	Purdue University	2019 - 2020
Software Engineer Intern	ARM	2019
Software Team Lead	Purdue SoCET Team	2018 - 2019
SURF Fellow	Purdue University	2017
Undergraduate Research Assistant	Purdue University	2016 - 2019

Teaching Roles

First Time Researcher Fellowship Mentor	Purdue University	2022 - 2024
Graduate Mentor	Purdue SURF	2020 - 2023
Graduate Teaching Assistant (Data Structures and Algorithms)	Purdue University	2021
Graduate Assistant	Purdue SURF	2020
Graduate Teaching Assistant (Advanced C)	Purdue University	2020
Resident Assistant	Purdue University	2016 - 2018

Refereee Roles

Reviewer	Advanced Photonics	2024
Reviewer	Quantum	2022 - 2024
Reviewer	Nature Communications	2022
Reviewer	Advanced Materials	2022
Poster Session Committee	Elmore Center	2022
Online Research Symposium	Purdue SURF	2020

Funding

Quantum Science Center	Oak Ridge	2021 - 2024
Purdue Elmore Emerging Frontiers Center	Elmore Family	2022 - 2024
QuEra Computing	Harvard/MIT	2022
Air Force Research Lab	AFRL	2021

Affiliations

Optica	Optica	2021 -
Quantum Science Center	Oak Ridge National Lab	2020 - 2024
Elmore Emerging Frontiers Center	Purdue University	2020 - 2024
Purdue Quantum Science and Engineering Institute	Purdue University	2019 - 2024
QuEra Computing	Harvard/MIT	2022
IEEE Computer Society	IEEE	2020 - 2021
Purdue Society of Professional Engineers	Purdue University	2015 – 2016
Wired Vision Games	Game Development Group	2011 – 2015
First Robotics	NASA	2013 – 2015
Freedom Chairs (Charity Wheelchair Repair)	Indiana Non-Profit	2013 – 2015
Project Lead the Way	Indiana Non-Profit	2011 – 2013

Mentee Award

First Time Researcher Fellowship	Advay Welling	EURO 2024
First Time Researcher Fellowship	Sarthak Tandon	EURO 2024
First Time Researcher Fellowship	Geetika Chitturi	EURO 2024
Qiskit Fall Fest Lead	Vaishnavi Iyer	2023
Best Poster Presentation	Daksh Kumar Singh	SURF 2023
Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship	Daksh Kumar Singh	SURF 2023
First Time Researcher Fellowship	Daksh Kumar Singh	EURO 2023
First Time Researcher Fellowship	Michael Bezick	EURO 2023
IBM Watson Quantum Summer Internship	Vaishnavi Iyer	2023
Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship	Vaishnavi Iyer	2022
Best First Time Researcher Award	David Czerwonki	SURF 2020
Best First Time Researcher Award	Rachel Zhang	SURF 2020

References

Sabre Kais	kais@purdue.edu	765-494-5965
Alexandra Boltasseva	aeb@purdue.edu	765-494-0301
Travis Humble	humblets@ornl.gov
Sheng-Tao Wang	swang@quera.com
Vladimir Shalaev	shalaev@purdue.edu	765-494-9855