Making Sense of Chaos: Trisha Roy on Quantum Reservoir Computing and the PhD Journey

Trisha Roy, Aalto University PhD Researcher

1. Could you briefly introduce yourself, your PhD research focus, and how you became involved in this project?

I’m a first-year PhD student at Aalto University in the MSP group, working on quantum reservoir computing for time-series prediction. In simple terms, I try to make a quantum circuit predict the future of chaotic systems - and then I study exactly when and why it starts failing. My current focus is on how tunable non-Clifford (“magic”) resources affect learning performance and how forecasting errors grow over time in benchmarks like the Mackey–Glass system. I joined this project after exploring different directions, and this one felt like the perfect combination of quantum dynamics, computation, and “hard problems that refuse to behave nicely.”

2. Which aspects of your research or daily work do you find most engaging, and what motivates you to keep going during demanding periods of your PhD?

The most engaging part of my work is the process of breaking down complex questions and figuring out why something works - or doesn’t. I don’t rely much on inspiration; instead, I stay consistent and treat difficulties as a sign that I either need to strengthen my fundamentals or look at the problem from a different perspective. This back-and-forth between basics and advanced details can take hours or even weeks, but it is very rewarding once I reach clarity. During demanding periods, discussing priorities with my supervisor, Prof. Tapio Ala-Nissila, helps me stay focused and keep progressing.

3. PhD journeys often involve challenges. Can you describe a difficulty you’ve encountered - scientific, technical, or personal - and how you worked through it?

One challenge I faced during my PhD was dealing with research uncertainty - especially interpreting results and deciding the most meaningful next step. In many cases, the difficult part was not obtaining results, but understanding what conclusions were truly justified and how to shape them into a clear direction. I managed this by staying structured, doing targeted literature checks, and discussing ideas and doubts early with a senior researcher in my group Dr. Moein Ivaki, who often helped redirect the work toward the most relevant questions.

4. How has working within an international or interdisciplinary research environment shaped your confidence, skills, or way of thinking as a young researcher?

Working in an international and interdisciplinary research environment has strengthened my confidence and broadened the way I approach problems. Presenting posters and giving talks to diverse audiences has improved my communication skills and helped me identify gaps in my own understanding. Engaging with feedback and counterarguments has made me more comfortable refining my ideas. Finally, seeing others solve similar problems with different methods has encouraged me to stay open-minded and focus on executing ideas rigorously.

5. If you were explaining your research to someone outside academia, what impact or real-world relevance would you highlight?

I work on predicting the future behaviour of complicated systems using patterns learned from past data. The benchmark problem I use is chaotic, meaning that even very small changes can lead to significantly different outcomes, which makes long-term prediction especially challenging. To tackle this, I use a quantum reservoir computing model and systematically tune the parameters of the quantum circuit to find the “sweet spot”. By optimizing these settings, I aim to maximize how accurately and how far into the future the model can make reliable predictions.

6. Looking ahead, how do you see this PhD shaping your future aspirations, and what advice would you give to other young women considering a physics research career?

I’ve always been interested in research, and I see this PhD as shaping me into an independent and rigorous problem-solver, whether I continue in academia or move into industry where I can work with structure and strategy. For young women considering physics, my advice would be: if you’re being underestimated, don’t internalize it ,it’s not a reflection of your ability. Instead, treat it as a signal to adjust your strategy, find the right allies, and choose an environment that supports your growth.

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