Gorm Ole Steffensen, new researcher at the Theory of Quantum Materials and Solid State Quantum Technologies Group

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Gorm Ole Steffensen comes from the cloudy coastlands of Copenhagen, Denmark, and now is working alongside Ramón Aguado at the Theory of Quantum Materials and Solid State Quantum Technologies Group. 

- What have you worked on so far?

My experience is primarily with transport, how electrons get from a to b, in semiconducting-superconducting nanodevices. This is fundamentally interesting as 'traffic' is very different when devices are small enough for single electron processes to matter, and this is of great interest in the collaborative effort to achieve quantum computing. Apart from that, I am simply mystified and ever curious of the rich interplay of superconductivity and non-equilibrium physics.

 What will you work on? With whom?

In continuation of my previous work, I will study transport under the professional guidance of Ramón Aguado. However, this time around we will put greater emphasis on circuit Quantum ElectroDynamics (cQED) which describes the quantum nature of circuit
modes, AND allows one through fabricated circuitry to design the quantum environment one wants. Together with quantum dots (artificial atoms) this allows one to study quantum mechanics with both a tuneable Atom and a tuneable Photon, basically a
playground of the most fundamental physics.

Why did you choose ICMM?

Besides the sunny climate and warm souls, ICCM is full of professional theorist who are in strong contact with experimentalists in all of Europe working on the 'hot topics' of today. A relevant institute with a strong background in nonequilibrium physics; what more can a young man want?

And a personal touch: any hobbies? What would you like to contribute to the institute?

I am a man of many hobbies; few of them considered none-nerdy. From reading fantasy and scifi, to playing heathen Dungeon & Dragons on my table, to spending hours looking for a winning strategy in boardgames, to deep diving history online; in general I am a man entertained. I hope to participate in keeping the ICMM as an open and curious environment for young physicists, and in facilitating the social gatherings that make a workplace feel like home.