Prof Buller's research interests are mainly associated with single photon detection and its applications, including quantum communications and quantum networks, quantum enhanced-imaging, and single-photon detectors. He also has wider interests in semiconductor optoelectronic devices and optical thin film multilayer structures. Prof Buller leads the Single Photon Group at Heriot-Watt and is Principal Investigator on a number of major research projects funded by EPSRC, the European Union and industry. These projects include the EPSRC SPEXS Programme Grant and the EPSRC Integrated Quantum Networks Hub.

Prof Gerald S Buller was born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1965. He graduated with BSc (Hons) Natural Philosophy from the University of Glasgow in 1986 and PhD in Physics from Heriot–Watt University in 1989. In 1990, Prof Buller became Lecturer in Physics at Heriot–Watt University, was promoted to Reader in 2000 and made a Professor in 2006. In 2012, Gerald was founding Director of Heriot-Watt's Institute of Photonics amd Quantum Sciences, and in 2015 was awarded an EPSRC Established Career Fellowship in Quantum Technology. Prof Buller co–founded TeraHertz Photonics Ltd. in 1998 and founded Helia Photonics Ltd. in 2002. He remains a Company Director of Helia Photonics Ltd., which is based in Livingston, Scotland. In 2010, Professor Buller was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. He was elected a Fellow of the Institute of Physics in 2002 and elected a Fellow of the Optical Society of America (now re-named Optica) in 2017.