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Paderborn physicist Güsken in the spotlight at the Young Academy!
Jun. Prof. Dr. Nicholas A. Güsken from the University of Paderborn becomes a member of the Young Academy and leads research projects in quantum photonics.
Paderborn physicist Güsken in the spotlight at the Young Academy!
On June 13, 2025, Jun.-Prof. Dr. Nicholas A. Güsken, a physicist at the University of Paderborn, was accepted into the “Young Academy”. This academy is an initiative of the “Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences” and the “National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina”. With his acceptance, Güsken is one of the ten newly elected members of this world's first academy for outstanding young scientists.
The Young Academy has a total of 50 members who come from various scientific disciplines and the artistic field. These members have the opportunity to initiate interdisciplinary research projects or participate in existing programs. They also benefit from a growing network that brings together scientists and artists and works on formats that arise at the interface of science, art and society.
Research focus and working group
Jun. Prof. Güsken leads a working group in experimental physics at the University of Paderborn. His research focuses on quantum photonics and optoelectronics. The central topics of his work include the manipulation of quantum emitters, light-matter interaction and the development of active component interfaces in photonic integrated circuits. These research activities are part of the Paderborn Institute for Photonic Quantum Systems ( PhoQS ) and the “Center for Optoelectronics and Photonics Paderborn” ( CeOPP ).
Before Güsken came to the University of Paderborn, he worked at the “Geballe Laboratory for Advanced Materials” at Stanford University. This international experience enriches his academic career and his current research work.
Infrastructure teams at PhoQS
The PhoQS is structured by cross-institutional infrastructure teams (ISTs). These teams take on fundamental tasks that create essential prerequisites for research work in PhoQS. The members of the infrastructure teams are also members of the institute and support the projects, especially in the training of doctoral students and postdocs. The responsibility for the operational organization of these teams lies with the infrastructure manager, who coordinates the workshops.
A particular focus is on the transfer of expertise and the synergistic effects that arise from collaboration within the different groups of the infrastructure teams.
Quantum technologies in practice
A significant application area of GÜsken's research is quantum communication. In August 2021, the first quantum-secure video conference was held as part of the QuNET initiative. The Federal Ministry for Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) and the Federal Ministry for Information Security (BSI) took part in this event. This demonstration focused on Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), which enables the exchange of symmetric keys with quantifiable security.
The QuNET initiative is supported by the BSI, which independently develops testing criteria in international cooperation. The further development of the entangled photon source is evidence of progress in this field, which could have significant implications for the security of digital communications in the future.