The photonics industry is booming. Technological advancements and increasing demand are driving this growth. But in America, the workforce needed to drive this boom is struggling to keep up. In this Spotlight conversation with Tara Fortier of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), we discuss the need to attract more bright young minds to this field to build the next generation of photonics professionals. Along with discussing ways to expose students to this field, we also talk about the importance of networking and what those already in the workforce need to know to advance their own careers in this area.
Spotlight from "All Things Photonics"® is a special series of intimate sit-down conversations with preeminent figures in our industry.
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From space exploration and quantum optics, to biomedical imaging and defense, today’s top scientific minds are using lasers, spectroscopy, sensors, and optics to deliver cutting-edge innovation to our society. In intimate conversations with those pushing the boundaries of human knowledge, “All Things Photonics” spotlights photonics industry progress from beyond the lab. Hear how 3D printed microscopes — and those developed for a fraction of the cost — offer our best hope for diagnosing disease in the developing world; why spectroscopy might be the most valuable tool in the crime scene technicians’ arsenal; how light can motorize drug delivery; and how the quantum cascade laser, CMOS image sensor, and robot-assisted surgery became realities. Notable guests include Nobel Prize winner Donna Strickland; Columbia University Eugene Higgins Professor of Electrical Engineering Michal Lipson; inventor of the CMOS image sensor Eric Fossum; serial entrepreneur Jason Eichenholz; co-namesake of the Hockney Falco Thesis Charles Falco; and SPIE President and founder of the Vanderbilt Biophotonics Center Anita Mahadevan-Jansen. “All Things Photonics”® is produced by Photonics Media and airs biweekly, on Tuesdays. The podcast was a shortlisted finalist in two categories — Best Science & Medical Podcast and Best Technology Podcast — for The Publishers Podcast Awards in 2021. It has again earned shortlist honors in the Best Science and Medical Podcast category for 2022. Contact us at Allthings@photonics.com.
Episodes
Apr 29, 2025
Apr 29, 2025
23 min
Additive manufacturing garners considerable attention — but the methods and underlying technology often take a back seat to the remarkable designs and properties of finished works. Lukas Hoppe, R&D director at Meltio, offers insights into the current laser-based additive manufacturing ecosystem. Hoppe discusses Meltio’s blue laser innovations as well as wire-laser metal 3D printing methodology.
"All Things Photonics"® is produced by Photonics Media and airs biweekly, on Tuesdays.
Sponsored by:
Hamamatsu – www.Hamamatsu.com
LightPath Technologies Inc. – www.LightPath.com
Apr 15, 2025
Apr 15, 2025
30 min
Graphene’s recent and ongoing ascent into commercial applications and consumer devices is the focus of our conversation with Andy MacInnes, chief development officer at Paragraf. The Cambridge, England-based developer of graphene-enabled sensors offers custom foundry services, placing it in a distinct location on the semiconductor manufacturing value chain.
"All Things Photonics"® is produced by Photonics Media and airs biweekly, on Tuesdays.
Sponsored by:
Hamamatsu – www.Hamamatsu.com
LightPath Technologies Inc. – www.LightPath.com
Apr 14, 2025
Apr 14, 2025
38 min
Dr. Frank Winkler, at Heidelberg University focuses on the emerging field of cancer neuroscience, and the way brain cancers proceed. Winkler has used two-photon imaging to confirm that glioma cells link through microtubes, similar to typical neurons in the brain. His groundbreaking work has earned him the 2025 Brain Prize by the Lundbeck Foundation, alongside Dr. Michelle Monje. And in this spotlight conversation, Winkler discusses the journey he and Dr. Monje took to arrive at their conclusions, and how the shape of cancer research, particularly under the umbrella of neuroscience, is changing.
Spotlight from "All Things Photonics"® is a special series of intimate sit-down conversations with preeminent figures in our industry.
Sponsored by:
Hamamatsu – www.Hamamatsu.com
LightPath Technologies Inc. – www.LightPath.com
Apr 1, 2025
Apr 1, 2025
30 min
Martin Richardson, director of the University of Central Florida’s Center for Directed Energy, joins us to discuss the progression of directed energy technology, from historic uses to its emergence in today’s battlefields, and where we might see it in the future. The conversation covers the multidisciplinary nature of the technology, its challenges, and potential use cases beyond the battlefield, and beyond the planet.
"All Things Photonics"® is produced by Photonics Media and airs biweekly, on Tuesdays.
Sponsored by:
Hamamatsu – www.Hamamatsu.com
LightPath Technologies Inc. – www.LightPath.com
Mar 18, 2025
Mar 18, 2025
23 min
Iñigo Artundo, CEO of photonic test and design house VLC Photonics, breaks down the function of test as it relates to PICs and integrated photonics. How developers advance chip and wafer architectures through the design stage and toward productization cannot happen without adequate testing. But the sophistication of current and future designs does not always align with established test protocols. This episode explores that dynamic and discusses how the gap can be bridged.
"All Things Photonics"® is produced by Photonics Media and airs biweekly, on Tuesdays.
Sponsored by:
Hamamatsu – www.Hamamatsu.com
LightPath Technologies Inc. – www.LightPath.com
Mar 17, 2025
Mar 17, 2025
35 min
John Ballato is a professor of materials science and engineering at Clemson University. He knows the importance of glass in the photonics industry, even if some downplay its importance. Across his more than 200 published papers, his research focuses on new optical materials and structures for photonic and optoelectronic applications. In this spotlight conversation, he shares his thoughts on what’s driving a resurgence in glass, and its future in our industry.
"All Things Photonics"® is produced by Photonics Media and airs biweekly, on Tuesdays.
Sponsored by:
Hamamatsu – www.Hamamatsu.com
LightPath Technologies Inc. – www.LightPath.com
Mar 4, 2025
Mar 4, 2025
18 min
For this episode, we are joined by Brad Booth, CEO of NLM Photonics, the developer of a hybrid electro-optic technology combining high-performance organic materials with semiconductor photonics platforms. The conversation covers some recent research advances, the part played by materials in optical networking, and a look at what the future may hold for NLM Photonics.
"All Things Photonics"® is produced by Photonics Media and airs biweekly, on Tuesdays.
Sponsored by:
Hamamatsu – www.Hamamatsu.com
LightPath Technologies Inc. – www.LightPath.com
Mar 3, 2025
Mar 3, 2025
17 min
Lightmatter is pushing the envelope of AI interconnect and networking standards. It’s all in an effort to bring AI infrastructure into a photonic era. MIT graduate Nick Harris founded Lightmatter in 2017. In this Spotlight conversation, he offers a look into the formation, and the future of his company, as well as the breakthroughs driving the photonic supercomputing group today.
Spotlight from "All Things Photonics"® is a special series of intimate sit-down conversations with preeminent figures in our industry.
Sponsored by:
Hamamatsu – www.Hamamatsu.com
LightPath Technologies Inc. – www.LightPath.com
Feb 18, 2025
Feb 18, 2025
29 min
Discussions around packaging — the art, the challenge, and the roadmap — have ramped up over the last 18 months. A bona fide industry trend, packaging is commanding the focus of leading companies and individuals. Abdul Rahim, ecosystem manager at PhotonDelta, joins the "All Things Photonics" podcast to discuss microelectronics packaging and how the concept applies in and for photonics. Also in this episode, Carlos Lee, director general of the European Photonics Industry Consortium (EPIC), checks in with Joost van Kerkhof, COO of PHIX Photonics Assembly, and Michal Nejbauer, CEO of Fluence.
"All Things Photonics"® is produced by Photonics Media and airs biweekly, on Tuesdays.
Sponsored by:
Hamamatsu – www.Hamamatsu.com
LightPath Technologies Inc. – www.LightPath.com
Feb 10, 2025