About Me

I am a PhD candidate in Quantum Machine Learning for Data Streams, conducting a cotutelle between the University of Waikato (New Zealand) and the École Polytechnique / Institut Polytechnique de Paris (France), under the supervision of Prof. Albert Bifet, Prof. Bernhard Pfahringer, and Dr. Frédéric Magniette.
My research lies at the intersection of quantum information, machine learning, and complex systems, with a focus on how quantum re-uploading mechanisms can enhance expressivity and efficiency in learning from continuous data streams.

🔬 Research Focus

My work explores Quantum Re-Uploading Units (QRU) and Quantum Residual Blocks (QRB)—two minimal yet expressive quantum architectures designed for low-depth, noise-resilient learning.
The goal is to understand how much functional complexity a shallow quantum model can encode, and how Fourier-based analysis can reveal its spectral capacity.

The thesis is structured around three core research questions:

1. Applications (RQ1) – Applying QRUs to:
   • Particle classification and energy regression in LHC calorimetry
   • Chaotic and environmental time-series forecasting
   • Streaming and flood-risk prediction using QRU + QRB hybrids
2. Theory (RQ2) – Studying the mathematics of expressivity:
   • QRU as a built-in quantum non-linearity within a loss function
   • Gradient and trainability analysis
   • Fourier-spectral decomposition of quantum models
3. Streaming & Decision (RQ3) – Integrating QRUs into decision-making loops:
   • Reinforcement-learning agents for real-time bus scheduling (Salvador, Brazil)
   • QRU → QAOA → CVaR pipeline for parametric-insurance optimization (World Bank GIC Track)
   • Quantum-LSTM prototypes for sequential prediction

🌍 Vision

Beyond the technical layer, I aim to design quantum models that are not only expressive but also explainable and deployable in real-world data streams—bridging physics-inspired modeling and sustainable AI.
This includes exploring Fourier Neural Operators (FNOs) for spatial downscaling, quantum optimization (QAOA) for portfolio allocation, and hybrid quantum-classical pipelines for climate-risk management.

🧭 Background

Before my PhD, I studied fundamental and quantum physics in France (Montpellier and Toulouse), and worked on NV-center experiments, Bell-inequality violations, and quantum chaos.
I now live in Christchurch (NZ), where I also teach French language and culture at the Alliance Française and local Montessori & Steiner schools.

📬 Contact

✉️ casse.lea@gmail.com
🌐 github.com/LeaCasse
🔗 LinkedIn
📍 Christchurch, New Zealand