The advent of quantum annealers (QA) is introducing a new paradigm in the way scientists approach experimentation and computation. Composed of superconducting qubits arranged in a user-programmable lattice, a QA aims to solve optimization problems by harnessing the laws of quantum mechanics. Exploiting the tunneling effect in ways that provide computational advantages not possible with conventional methods, these quantum hardware devices are a realization of Feynman's vision to study the quantum nature of things with individual objects that obey quantum mechanics. The ability to control and read out the state of individual qubits allows the scientist to have direct access to parameters at the quantum scale with unprecedented precision. Multiple applications ranging from isomer search to exotic magnetic phases identification are being developed.

The goal of the workshop is to bring together leading scientists and engineers in the use and knowledge of quantum annealers with applications in several scientific domains. We expect the topics covered by the workshop to include magnetic lattices, graph theory applied to molecular systems, biological molecules and other complexes treatable with QAs. Experimental realizations with this nascent methodology will have a central role in the workshop as well as studies quantifying the device performance to provide insights into the optimal construction of surrogate models. Discussions around developing theoretical models capable of reproducing physical systems in a qubit network while developing the protocols for assessing the performance of emerging quantum platforms will be considered.