For the second time, the Summer School on Optical Communication 2025 brought together almost 100 international and young master's students, doctoral candidates and young professionals and offered them exclusive insights into the future of modern optical technologies. The event was hosted by the Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute (HHI), which cooperated with the University of Patras, led by Prof. Dr. Ronald Freund (Head of the Photonic Networks and Systems Department at Fraunhofer HHI) and Prof. Ioannis Tomkos (University of Patras).
Lectures, laboratory visits and intensive exchange formats gave participants the opportunity to engage in lively discussions and networking. In addition to topics such as photonic integrated circuits, fiber optic networks and free-space optics, the focus was also on exciting future topics such as quantum communication, artificial intelligence, smart cities and green ICT.
Inspiration from science and industry
The aim of the Summer School 2025 was to communicate current developments in optical communication technology along the value chain, i.e. from basic research to industrial applications. Leading minds from industry and research provided valuable input, including Adtran, Huawei, Nokia Bell Labs, UC3M, VPIphotonics, the University of Stuttgart, the University of Kiel and, of course, the Fraunhofer HHI itself. Special highlight: A presentation by Chuck Mattera, former CEO of Coherent Corp., who spoke about his experiences during his 45-year career in the global photonics industry.
The four-day supporting program offered a variety of opportunities for exchange in the heart of Berlin, including a get-together on the Spree and a dinner in the Classic Remise. The Summer School concluded with an exciting round of lectures on “Intelligent and Secure Optical Networking”.
Further information about the event:
