Careers in Research Forum
Featured Presenters:
CAR1 - 5:30PM - 6:00PM
Research for Fun and Profit: Reflections of
an Avuncular Fiber Engineer
Dr. Tingye Li, AT&T Labs (retired), USA
CAR2 - 6:00PM - 6:30PM
The Future of Light: Research Careers in Photonics
Dr. Thomas G. Bifano,
Boston University, USA
CAR3 - 6:30PM - 7:00PM
Insights on the Transition to an Academic Career
Prof. Sharon M. Weiss,
Vanderbilt University, USA
Research for Fun and Profit: Reflections of an Avuncular Fiber Engineer
Dr. Tingye Li, AT&T Labs (retired), USA |
 |
Abstract: I retired from AT&T in 1998 after a 41-year research career at Bell Labs and AT&T Labs as an individual contributor and a technical manager. My career was filled with excitement, challenges, and fun; and our work at the then Bell Labs contributed vitally to the viability of AT&T and the advancement of the field of telecommunications. In this talk, I shall reminisce on the work environment at Crawford Hill Laboratories (where I worked), reflect on a couple of memorable research involvements, and offer some avuncular observations on professional growth and development. |
Biography: Tingye Li retired from AT&T in 1998 after a 41-year research career at Bell Labs and AT&T Labs, working in the fields of microwaves, millimeter waves, lasers, and lightwave communications. He is presently a consultant in lightwave technologies and systems and serves on the board of directors of several private companies. His early work on laser resonater modes is fundamental to the theory and practice of lasers and is considered a classic. Since the late 1960s, he and his groups have been engaged in pioneering research on lightwave technologies and systems, and in the 1990s, led the seminal work on WDM transmission systems and networks, which revolutionized lightwave communications.
Li holds a PhD degree from Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois. He is a fellow of OSA, IEEE, IEC, AAAS, and PSC; and is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and Academica Sinica, and a foreign member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. He received the 1975 IEEE W. R. G. Baker Prize, the 1979 IEEE David Sarnoff Award, the 1981 NU Alumni Quinn Endowment, the 1997 AT&T Science and Technology Medal, and the 2004 IEEE Photonics Award. He has been named an honoray professor at many universities in China, and was President of OSA in 1995.
|
back to top
The Future of Light: Research Careers in Photonics
Dr. Thomas G. Bifano, Boston University, USA |
 |
Abstract: In this talk I offer some perspectives for students, professors and practitioners of photonics research, drawn from experiences as the Director of Boston University¹s Photonics Center, as an active teacher and researcher, and as the director of research for a small photonics component manufacturer. I will describe BUPC¹s unique program of research, development and prototyping of photonics technology for defense applications, and will introduce several grand challenges in photonics notably directed energy beams for defense, resonant biophotonic sensors for probing molecules and cells, and advanced materials for solid state sources and absorbers that currently stand at the frontier of academic, government, and industry research. Finally, I will relay tales from photonics research leaders describing their tips for success in photonics research careers. |
Biography: Dr. Thomas Bifano directs the Boston University Photonics Center (BUPC), a core facility and academic center of excellence comprised of thirty-five faculty members from seven academic departments. He leads BUPC programs for education, scholarly research and development of advanced photonic device prototypes for commercial and military applications in a facility that includes more than a dozen special-purpose and shared research laboratories and a large business incubator. Dr. Bifano also serves as a professor of mechanical engineering. His research focuses on design and manufacturing of micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) for optical applications. Most recently, he has engineered a class of deformable mirror systems that improve resolution in advanced telescopes, microscopes, and ophthalmoscopes. Dr. Bifano joined Boston University in 1988. He earned a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from North Carolina State University in 1988, following M.S. and B.S. degrees in mechanical engineering and materials science from Duke University. He also serves as CTO of Boston Micromachines Corporation in Cambridge, MA . |
back to top
Insights on the Transition to an Academic Career
Sharon M. Weiss, Vanderbilt University, USA |
|
Abstract: The transition from graduate student to faculty member is both exciting and daunting. Armed with the proper information and starting your preparation early can lead to a smooth transition from student to professor. This talk will address several issues that are pertinent for those considering an academic career, including building your resume, networking, establishing a laboratory, exploring new research directions, and practicing effective time management. |
Biography: Sharon M. Weiss joined Vanderbilt University in August 2005 as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. She also has appointments in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, Interdisciplinary Program in Materials Science, Vanderbilt Institute of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, and Vanderbilt Institute for Integrative Biosystems Research and Education. Prof. Weiss's research interests include the areas of nanophotonics, biosensing, optical properties of materials, and optoelectronics. Specifically, her group is actively investigating nanoscale porous silicon waveguide biosensors, white-light LEDs based on CdSe nanocrystals, and photonic crystals for enhanced light-matter interaction. Dr. Weiss received B.S. and M.S. degrees in Optics from the Institute of Optics at the University of Rochester in 1999 and 2001, respectively. She received her Ph.D. in Optics, also from the University of Rochester , where she was supported in part by a National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate fellowship. Dr. Weiss is a member of IEEE, SPIE, OSA, MRS, Tau Beta Pi, and Phi Beta Kappa. She is also a recipient of the National Science Foundation CAREER Award in 2008. Dr. Weiss has over 30 publications, 1 patent, and 2 pending patents. |
