Publications

Google Scholar

^* Indicates a primary author in addition to the first-listed author.

2026

Small and large graphs map to nearby computation trees in a compact tree space, illustrating algorithmic generalization — Fig. 5 · Computation trees & generalization

Which Algorithms Can Graph Neural Networks Learn?

Solveig Wittig^*, Antonis Vasileiou^*, Robert R. Nerem^*, Timo Stoll, Floris Geerts, Yusu Wang, Christopher Morris.

ICML 2026 · Proceedings of Machine Learning Research 306, 135232–135307 Spotlight Oral

Paper PDF arXiv

A graph neural network repeatedly updates node features using adjacent nodes and edge weights — Fig. 1 · GNN layers

Graph Neural Networks Extrapolate Out-of-Distribution for Shortest Paths

Robert R. Nerem, Samantha Chen^*, Sanjoy Dasgupta, Yusu Wang.

COLT 2026 · Proceedings of Machine Learning Research 336, 5273–5331

Paper PDF arXiv

Algorithmic structure flows through neuralization to a question about practical value — Conceptual schematic

Neural Algorithmic Reasoning Must Explain When Neuralization Adds Value

Yu He, Robert R. Nerem, Timo Stoll, Semih Cantürk, Dobrik Georgiev, Chendi Qian, Solveig Wittig, Floris Geerts, Stefanie Jegelka, Ellen Vitercik, Yusu Wang, Nikolaos Karalias, Christopher Morris.

3rd AI for Math Workshop · ICML 2026

Paper PDF

2025

Neural optimization pipeline using a score matrix, Birkhoff extension, and permutation rounding — Fig. 1 · Optimization pipeline

Differentiable Extensions with Rounding Guarantees for Combinatorial Optimization over Permutations

Robert R. Nerem, Zhishang Luo, Akbar Rafiey, Yusu Wang.

NeurIPS 2025 · Advances in Neural Information Processing Systems 38

Paper PDF arXiv

2024

Quadtree partition with portals and a portal-respecting rectilinear Steiner tree — Fig. 2 · Quadtree & Steiner tree

NN-Steiner: A Mixed Neural-Algorithmic Approach for the Rectilinear Steiner Minimum Tree Problem

Andrew B. Kahng, Robert R. Nerem, Yusu Wang, Chien-Yi Yang.

AAAI 2024 · Proceedings of the AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence 38(12), 13022–13030

Paper PDF

2023

State-transition graph of quantum Bitcoin mining outcomes — Fig. 1 · State-transition graph

Conditions for Advantageous Quantum Bitcoin Mining

Robert R. Nerem, Daya R. Gaur.

Blockchain: Research and Applications 4(3), 100141

Paper PDF

2022

Quantum estimation of x dagger M x for a linear system Ax equals b, with query complexity theta of alpha over epsilon — Conceptual schematic

Tight Bound for Estimating Expectation Values from a System of Linear Equations

Abhijeet Alase, Robert R. Nerem, Mohsen Bagherimehrab, Peter Høyer, Barry C. Sanders.

Physical Review Research 4(2), 023237

Paper PDF

A directed network before and after duplicating a vertex and its incident edges — Fig. 1 · Vertex duplication

Genetic Networks Encode Secrets of Their Past

Peter Crawford-Kahrl^*, Robert R. Nerem^*, Bree Cummins, Tomas Gedeon.

Journal of Theoretical Biology 541, 111092

Paper PDF

Conceptual schematic

Optimization of Quantum Algorithms for Applications

Robert Riley Nerem.

Master’s thesis · University of Calgary

Record

2020

Optical stack, device chip photograph, and scanning electron micrograph of the nanowire detector — Fig. 2 · Detector architecture

Superconducting Nanowire Single-Photon Detectors with 98% System Detection Efficiency at 1550 nm

Dileep V. Reddy, Robert R. Nerem, Sae Woo Nam, Richard P. Mirin, Varun B. Verma.

Optica 7(12), 1649–1653

Paper

Polar plots showing phases of periodic gene expression across four malaria parasite strains — Fig. 2 · Gene-expression phases

An Intrinsic Oscillator Drives the Blood Stage Cycle of the Malaria Parasite Plasmodium falciparum

Lauren M. Smith, Francis C. Motta, Garima Chopra, J. Kathleen Moch, Robert R. Nerem, Bree Cummins, Kimberly E. Roche, Christina M. Kelliher, Adam R. Leman, John Harer, Tomas Gedeon, Norman C. Waters, Steven B. Haase.

Science 368(6492), 754–759

Paper