Gerd Leuchs is an Adjunct Professor with the physics department at the University of Ottawa. He was founding director of the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light in Erlangen, and is Professor Emeritus at the University of Erlangen-Nürnberg.

His scientific work includes reduced quantum noise and entangled light beams, solitons in optical fibres, quantum communication protocols, as well as studying the limits of focusing, and applying this to atomic quantum gates and to nanophotonics. He received the Cross of Merit of Germany and was appointed to the Bavarian Maximilian Order. As of 2022, he is vice president of OPTICA.