About me
PhD Student in Quantum Software Engineering at University of Oulu
I am currently a PhD student in Quantum Software Engineering at the University of Oulu. My research focuses on hybrid quantum-classical systems, aiming to provide developers access to quantum resources, regardless of their knowledge in quantum information and fundamentals.
Prior to my PhD, I worked for 5 years as a Database Administrator specializing in Microsoft SQL Server, and have over 7 years of programming experience in C#, Delphi, and C++. I obtained my Master’s degree in Artificial Intelligence from Isfahan University of Technology, and my Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering (Hardware) from Ferdowsi University of Mashhad.
Doctoral Research Thesis
QCSHQD: Quantum Computing as a Service for Hybrid Classical-Quantum Software Development
We have introduced QCSHQD to broaden access to quantum computing (QC) resources for classical developers. Through adopting service-oriented computing strategies, QCSHQD streamlines the integration of QC capabilities and reduces the complexity associated with quantum programming.
Our framework comprises three principal components: an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for user interaction, an abstraction layer dedicated to orchestrating quantum services, and a service provider responsible for executing services on a quantum computer.
We have published the vision of our introduced framework in the Proceedings of the 1st ACM International Workshop on Quantum Software Engineering: The Next Evolution (QSE-NE’24). Link to Paper
The following picture presents the QCSHQD workflow, structured in six steps, to streamline access to QC services for users. According to our design, the workflow starts when developers need available QC services, which they iteratively invoke using the local IDE interface (Step 1) by defining the input parameters and the optimization parameters of the service (see Figure 1).
Next, based on the specified parameters, the abstraction layer takes this information and translates it using the input translator (Step 2) into a form that a quantum computer can process. Based on the translated parameters, the quantum computer recommender (Step 3) identifies the quantum computer that is available and optimal to execute a given request.
Once the quantum computer is selected, the service manager requests the required information to deploy the service to the selected quantum computer (Step 4). After the execution of the service, the abstraction layer receives the response (quantum data) from the quantum computer (Step 5) and decodes/translates the quantum results back into a classical format (Step 6), as shown in Figure 1, which developers can access using the IDE interface.
For the interaction across the above components, the abstraction layer functions as an intelligent intermediary/middleware, simplifying the complexity of hybridization between classical and quantum computers (see Figure 1).

Current Projects
Quantum Computing as a Service: A Systematic Mapping Study of Existing Toolchains
Quantum computing (QC) offers significant capabilities for research in various fields, and leveraging these potentials becomes more feasible through quantum services. This study investigates tools, platforms, frameworks, libraries and toolkits primarily focused on providing a toolchain for delivering quantum computing as a service. The essential challenges of using these tools are also illustrated in this study. Ultimately, these results aim to contribute to refining the design of our QCSHQD platform, which is the primary focus of my doctoral research.
Research method
I have followed the methods introduced by Peterson et al. (link to article) to conduct this SMS and its five core steps are illustrated in Figure 2. The initial step involved planning the SMS, which included three different phases. The first step was defining research objectives, in this study preparing a comprehensive analysis of the toolchains delivering QCaaS is an illustration for both scientists and developers aiming to utilize QC resources, as well as for refining the design of QCSHQD framework. The second phase involved developing research questions aligned with the key objectives of this study, as presented in Table 1. The final phase of the planning stage was developing our study protocol.
In the second stage, the search strings were refined in collaboration with my supervisor, which are presented in Table 2. After defining search strategy, We executed a literature search across five databases including: IEEE, ACM, Springer, Science Direct and Wiley. This was followed by screening and quality assurance based on the criteria outlined in Table 3. The snowballing was also done during this stage.
The third stage involved data extraction. Relevant data was extracted from the selected studies based on predefined characteristics. The extracted data will form the foundation for the subsequent analysis. It should be noted that the report and selected studies are still being finalized.

# | Research question |
RQ1.1 | What are the existing tools and frameworks that provide Quantum computing as a service? Rational: To identify and analyze the existing tools and frameworks that provide QCaaS, focusing on their main characteristics, functionalities, and potential applications. Understanding these tools is crucial for researchers and developers aiming to utilize QCaaS in various domains. |
RQ1.2 | What are the open source available tools and frameworks that provide Quantum computing as a service? Rational: Opensource tools and frameworks offer unique advantages, such as transparency, community-driven development, and potential for customization. This question aims to explore the open-source options available for QCaaS and their distinct capabilities, which may foster innovation and collaboration in the field. |
RQ2 | What are the challenges in using the available tools or frameworks for providing QC as a service? Rational: The process of developing quantum software architectures for QCaaS is fraught with challenges, including technical, operational, and scalability issues. Analyzing these challenges will help identify the key barriers that need to be addressed, providing insights for improving architectural solutions for quantum toolchains and enhancing the effectiveness of QCaaS. |
# | Search strings |
1 | (quantum computing) AND (service* OR “as a service”) AND (tool* OR framework* OR “open source” OR “challenge*”) |
2 | (quantum computing) AND (software) AND (service* OR “as a service”) AND (tool* OR framework* OR “open source”) |
Screening of identified Studies |
S1 – The study does not discuss any solution or proposal for quantum computing as a service |
S2 – The study is not reported in English |
S3 – The study is a duplicate study. Duplicate studies are studies with overlapping contents, e.g., a conference paper extended as a journal article. |
S4 – The study is a secondary study/survey paper |
Quality assessment of the identified studies |
Q1 – Study objectives and contributions are clear? |
Q2 – Research method to conduct the study is reported |
Q3 – Design and/or implementation details of the solution are provided |
Q4 – Study limitations and needs for future research are discussed |
Publications
- Tavassoli Sabzevari, M., Esposito, M., Taibi, D., Khan, A.
- “QCSHQD: Quantum Computing as a Service for Hybrid Classical-Quantum Software Development: A Vision.”
- Proceedings of the 1st ACM International Workshop on Quantum Software Engineering: The Next Evolution (QSE-NE’24), 2024.
- Link to Paper
- Esposito, M., Tavassoli Sabzevari, M., Ye, B., Falessi, D., Khan, A., Taibi, D.
- “Classi|Q⟩: Towards a Translation Framework to Bridge the Classical-Quantum Programming Gap.”
- Proceedings of the 1st ACM International Workshop on Quantum Software Engineering: The Next Evolution (QSE-NE’24), 2024.
- Link to Paper
Research Interests
- Quantum Computing
- Quantum Software Engineering
- Hybrid Classical-Quantum Systems
- AI in Software Engineering

Contact Information
- Email: Maryam.Tavassolisabzevari@oulu.fi
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maryam-tavassoli-sabzevari/