PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

Eugene Simon Polzik

Eugene Simon Polzik is a quantum physicist whose research reaches AI through quantum computing: 78 of his 80 papers in the artificial-intelligence category concern quantum information and cryptography. He earned physics degrees at Leningrad University, taught at the Mining Institute, worked at Caltech and Aarhus, then founded QUANTOP and joined Copenhagen's Niels Bohr Institute. His experiments span quantum memory for light, teleportation between light and matter and distant atomic objects, and a hybrid quantum network for sensing; he received the 2020 Herbert Walther Award. Since 2024, he has led Copenhagen's Center for Biomedical Quantum Sensing; as of October 2026, he is an NBI professor and a Quantum Advisor at Magnolia Quantum Sensing.

Born
1953
Badges

Years link to their sources.

Timeline

  1. 1976–2003

    Degrees and Copenhagen professorship

    In 1976, he earns an honors M.Sc. in physics at Leningrad University and completes a physics Ph.D. there in 1980. He teaches at Leningrad's Mining Institute from 1980 to 1988, works as an associate scientist at Caltech from 1990 to 1995, and becomes a professor at Aarhus from 1994 to 2002. In 2001, he founds QUANTOP; in 2003, he joins Copenhagen's Niels Bohr Institute as professor of physics.

  2. 2004–2021

    Memory for light at room temperature

    In 2004, he coauthors Experimental demonstration of quantum memory for light. In 2021, he and colleagues report a coating that keeps light qubits identical and stable at room temperature; the memory stores them for milliseconds.

  3. 2006–2010

    Teleportation from light to matter

    In 2006, he coauthors a study titled Quantum teleportation between light and matter, which transfers a light pulse's quantum state to an atomic ensemble. A 2010 paper describes teleportation as an element of future quantum networks and a possible ingredient for quantum computation.

  4. 2013

    Teleportation between atomic objects

    In 2013, he coauthors the Nature Physics paper Deterministic quantum teleportation between distant atomic objects.

  5. 2020

    A Herbert Walther Award

    In 2020, he receives the Herbert Walther Award of the German Physical Society and the Optical Society of America.

  6. Since 2024

    Leading a biomedical sensing center

    Since 2024, he leads the Copenhagen Center for Biomedical Quantum Sensing while serving as professor of physics at the Niels Bohr Institute.

  7. 2025

    A hybrid quantum network

    In 2025, he coauthors a hybrid quantum network that suppresses quantum noise beyond the standard quantum limit in the acoustic frequency range. Its two components are a two-colour EPR light source and a negative-mass spin ensemble.

  8. As of October 2026

    Professor and quantum adviser

    As of October 2026, he is professor of physics at the Niels Bohr Institute and a Quantum Advisor at Magnolia Quantum Sensing. Its EXAAQ sensor measures magnetic fields directly during MRI scans. His research has an AI connection: 80 of his papers are grouped under artificial intelligence, including 78 on quantum information and cryptography.

Career

  1. Since 2003University of CopenhagenProfessor of Physics
  2. From 2001QUANTOPFounder
  3. 1994–2002Aarhus UniversityProfessor
  4. 1990–1995California Institute of TechnologyAssociate Scientist
  5. 1980–1988Saint Petersburg Mining University

Education

  1. 1980Saint Petersburg State UniversityPh.D.
  2. 1976Saint Petersburg State UniversityHonors M.Sc.

From the biography.

  1. The United States employs an estimated 48% of people shaping AIIncludes University of Copenhagen. We estimate where the people shaping AI work today, how universities, companies and research institutes split across countries, and how country shares have changed since the 1960s.
  2. More people shaping AI studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology than at any other institutionIncludes University of Copenhagen. We estimate where the people shaping AI studied and where their careers led. Massachusetts Institute of Technology leads with 467 former students, including 291 recorded doctorates.
  3. The company share of AI researchers’ top papers was 31% in 2020–2024 and 8% in 1970–1974Includes University of Copenhagen. We estimate where the people shaping AI worked when their most-cited papers appeared: the company share was 31% in 2020–2024 and 8% in 1970–1974, and Google led all organizations in 2020–2024.
  4. Google has the highest combined h-index among AI organizationsIncludes University of Copenhagen. We estimate that Google holds the highest combined h-index at 8,016, while universities account for 73% of the deduplicated total across AI organizations.

Colleagues

People with dated positions at the same organization in the same years.

Sources and credits

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  1. Eugene S. Polzik optica.org. Checked 21 October 2026.
  2. Eugene Simon Polzik - University of Copenhagen Research Portal researchprofiles.ku.dk. Checked 21 October 2026.
  3. Experimental demonstration of quantum memory for light researchprofiles.ku.dk. Checked 21 October 2026.
  4. New invention keeps qubits of light stable at room temperature nbi.ku.dk. Checked 21 October 2026.
  5. Quantum state transfer between light and matter via teleportation researchprofiles.ku.dk. Checked 21 October 2026.
  6. Deterministic quantum teleportation between distant atomic objects researchprofiles.ku.dk. Checked 21 October 2026.
  7. Eugene Simon Polzik | Rankless rankless.org. Checked 21 October 2026.
  8. Hybrid quantum network for sensing in the acoustic frequency range nature.com. Checked 21 October 2026.
  9. Magnolia Quantum Sensing - Team magnolia-qs.com. Checked 21 October 2026.
  10. Magnolia Quantum Sensing magnolia-qs.com. Checked 21 October 2026.