Following the Photons: A Photonics Podcast

This edition features Yvain Thonnart, a chief scientist in the digital ICs and systems division of the French research institute CEA-List, where he focuses on areas including networks-on-chip and integrating emerging photonics technologies. He talked recently with Host Justine Murphy about his work at CEA, and his team’s potentially game-changing development of the first dynamically channeled electro-optical router for photonic interposers.

In this episode, Erin Howard, a research scientist currently working at the University of Washington on the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, talks with Host Justine Murphy about their passion for exploring the universe through data, and the excitement in contributing to cutting-edge scientific discoveries.

This episode features Dr. Aleksandra Kaszubowska, an assistant professor of Electronic and Electrical Engineering at Trinity College Dublin and an assistant professor and research fellow at the CONNECT Research Center. She talked with Host Justine Murphy about the exciting work her team is doing, as well as her vast research experience and the remarkable path that led to where she is today.

This edition features Host Justine Murphy's chat with Dr. Brian Monacelli, a professor and director of Laser Technology at Pasadena City College in California. He’s also a Principal Optical Engineer and supervisor of the Optical Implementation group at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. They recently discussed things like the importance of training technicians in hands-on laboratory skills, and he also offered some perspectives on the future of optics and the crucial role technicians will play.  

This episode features a technical conversation about co-packaged optics, the rapid rise of interest in this technology, and why active alignment is a major manufacturing bottleneck in photonics. The discussion, sponsored by Aerotech, focuses on the company’s new PICAlign approach, developed in collaboration with SENKO and Santec, which aims to improve throughput, quality, and efficiency in optical device assembly. Talking with Host Justine Murphy, Aerotech Business Development Manager Justin Bressi explains how monitoring multiple optical channels at once and searching in all six degrees of freedom can improve alignment outcomes and reduce scrap. The conversation also touches on the broader data center and semiconductor ecosystem, where demand for faster, more efficient photonic systems is driving new investment and partnerships.

Here's a roundup of some of the most interesting and exciting things happening in the photonics industry!

Host Justine Murphy talked recently with Dr. Judy Wu, the Thomas A. Albright Professor of Chemistry at the University of Houston, where her work has included computational quantum chemistry to study light-activated chemistry.  They discussed her work as a computational and organic chemist and professor, unconventional ways to boost the next generation of scientists, and her contributions toward bridging theory with real-world application.  

Here is an interesting interview Host Justine Murphy had recently with Kevin McComber, co-founder and CEO of Spark Photonics Design, and co-founder and executive director of Spark Photonics Foundation, a nonprofit STEM education, workforce development, and outreach organization. He talked about his engineering background and entrepreneurial spirit, as well as his thoughts on the education and workforce initiatives he calls crucial for the future of STEM.  

This episode features Vivek Raghunathan, co-founder and CEO of Xscape Photonics, a Columbia University spinoff focused on silicon photonics and AI. He has nearly two decades of experience in the silicon photonics sector, including at Intel.  In this chat, he talks with Host Justine Murphy about Xscape Photonics and its innovative work, as well as the role silicon photonics will play in the future of AI.

Jennifer Cable, president of Thorlabs, talked recently with Host Justine Murphy about the company's role in the industry, as well as building an inclusive culture and enhancing employee engagement, while also investing in advanced manufacturing technology and infrastructure.

Here's a roundup of some of the most interesting and exciting things happening in the photonics industry!

In this episode, Host Justine Murphy talks with Kevin Curtis, senior VP of Advanced Optics at Magic Leap, a developer of AR and waveguide technologies. He discusses his passion for AR and his thoughts on the future, and also details Magic Leap’s innovations and their influence on an ever-advancing sector of the photonics industry.  

During SPIE Photonics West last month, host Justine Murphy had the opportunity to talk with many people across the photonics industry, including Dr. Lewis Johnson, Chief Technology Officer and co-founder of NLM Photonics. He has more than 18 years of research and development experience in materials and new technologies for photonics and cleantech, and a career that spans entrepreneurship, academia, and national labs.  Listen now to this really interesting conversation from the Photonics West show floor!

This episode features Dr. Patrick Heissler, CEO of SCRONA. He has a doctorate in physics from the Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics, and has conducted research at institutions including Los Alamos National Lab. In this chat, we covered his current work and initiatives at SCRONA, his involvement in organizations like the Plug and Play Tech Center, and some lessons learned throughout his extensive career.  

This episode features Travis Wood, president of Montana-based Lattice Materials, a company specializing in custom infrared optics using silicon and germanium. He’s also a board member of the Montana Photonics and Quantum Alliance, and works closely with the Photonic and Laser Technology program at Montana State University’s Gallatin College. In this fun chat, he talks with host Justine Murphy about Lattice Materials and some recent accolades, as well as workplace culture, the company’s ever-advancing role in the photonics industry, and the growing photonics hub in Montana.  

This episode features Barry Silverstein, a seasoned optics and photonics innovator (namely at Meta’s Reality Labs) who recently joined the University of Rochester as director of the school’s Center for eXtended Reality. He talked with host Justine Murphy about the Center and its mission, and delved into the future of AR, VR, and AI.

This edition of Following the Photons features Brian O’Connor, vice president of Growth and Strategy at Aerotech, a globally reaching developer of advanced precision motion control and automation technologies for industries including optics and photonics, precision manufacturing, and life sciences. He recently sat down with our host Justine Murphy at the SPIE Photonics West exhibition in San Francisco to talk about the company and its innovative products, as well as his thoughts and insight into the industry overall, what the future may hold, and Aerotech’s place in it.

Here is a great episode featuring Dr. Mario Paniccia, CEO and co-founder of silicon photonics startup ANELLO Photonics. He founded ANELLO with more than 20 years of experience under his belt at companies including Intel, where he started a silicon photonics program. And for this work, and his many other contributions to the field of silicon photonics, Dr. Paniccia was inducted into the National Academy of Engineers in 2021.

This first episode of 2026 features Craig Bandes, president and CEO of next-generation nanomaterial developer/manufacturer Pixelligent Technologies. He has more than 25 years of experience as a CEO, entrepreneur, and investor covering industries including technology and defense.

As 2025 draws to a close, we're revisiting the year's interesting and intriguing interviews. Here are excerpts from the top 5 most popular Following the Photons episodes of 2025. Thank you all for your continued support! Cheers to a happy and prosperous 2026!  

Here's another edition of Light News! Join host Justine Murphy as she follows the photons into some of the coolest, most exciting news impacting the photonics industry.

Host Justine Murphy talked recently with Michele Nichols, president of Launch Team Inc., a strategic marketing firm that helps photonics-focused companies to navigate change and ultimately boost their competitive advantage. In this episode, Michele shares her perspectives on the state of the industry and where it’s headed, as well as some thoughts and hopes for the future.  

This episode features Dirk Hauschild, a Senior Strategic Marketing Expert with Focuslight Technologies. He talks with host Justine Murphy about his more than 30 years of experience in the design, development, and integration of micro-optical components and systems, his work with Focuslight, and his thoughts on the future.

In this second installment of a two-part episode, Dr. Aydogan Ozcan—a chancellor’s professor in the Samueli Electrical & Computer Engineering school at UCLA, where he also leads the Bio- and Nanophotonics Lab—reflects on some important lessons learned throughout his career that he’s passing on to the next generation of researchers, and we delve into what’s needed to keep the U.S. competitive globally in the research and development realm.  

This week features another edition of Light News, a quick roundup of some of the coolest, most exciting news impacting the photonics industry. Let's go follow those photons!

Here, host Justine Murphy talks with Dr. Aydogan Ozcan, an extremely accomplished professor, lab leader, and mentor who has spent years studying and developing technologies in areas including computational imaging, deep learning optics, and microscopy. This first of a two-part episode dives into some interesting aspects of his work and experiences in the photonics industry.

This episode features a fun, insightful interview with Lee Steneken, president of Esco Optics. He’s a third-generation president of the family-owned company who moved up the ranks from a part-time machine operator during his high school years, to various roles in marketing and sales after college, before taking the helm as president in 2011. In this episode, he talks with host Justine Murphy about his years in the optics industry, finding the right balance between career and family life, and what the future holds for Esco Optics’ lasting legacy.  

This week features a great interview with Dr. Tara Fortier, a project leader in the Time and Frequency Division at NIST, a role in which she oversees cutting-edge research in precision optical and microwave metrology, and laser source development. She’s heavily involved in the scientific community via organizations like the American Physical Society and Optica, and active participation in outreach programs like SPIE’s Women in Optics.

This episode features Sargis Hakobyan, an R&D team leader with SPhotonix. He joined the company earlier this year to lead its new photonics lab in Switzerland, where he is the Senior Laser Materials Processing Engineer. Sargis is a multilingual laser physicist who has long focused in solid-state femtosecond and semiconductor laser development.

In this second installment of a two-part episode, Metalenz CEO Rob Devlin talks about what the future holds for the company and the industry overall, and offers some advice for others looking to take a similar path.

In this first of a two-part series, host Justine Murphy talks with Rob Devlin, co-founder and CEO of Metalenz. He has a PhD in applied physics from Harvard University, where he worked closely with Federico Capasso. The two ultimately founded Metalenz to commercialize their breakthrough research in metasurface optics.

This episode features Mohamed Elsherif, postdoctoral associate whose research bridges bioelectronics, optics, and nanomaterials to develop innovative wearable and ingestible devices for healthcare. 

Here's another roundup of some of the most exciting news happening in the photonics industry!

This week features host Justine Murphy’s thought-provoking discussion with Ifor Samuel and Andrea Di Falco, both professors and researchers at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. Together, they're working to revolutionize the use of organic LEDs and metasurfaces in a plethora of applications.

Here is a great interview with Jeroen Hoet, co-founder and CEO of eyeo, a new Netherlands-based startup that's working to revolutionize imaging.   

In this edition of Following the Photons, host Justine Murphy delves into the market sector of one of the photonics industry, with statistics, projections, and expert insight.

This episode features a roundup of some of the most interesting news impacting the business sector of the photonics and optics industry, from company collaborations to funding awards and more.

In this episode, host Justine Murphy talks with Nelufar Mohajeri, director of Membership and Community Development at SPIE, Peter Andersen, leader of the Biophotonic Imaging Group and head of DTU Health Tech PhD School at the Technical University of Denmark, and Stefan Andersson-Engels, who is head of Biophotonics and deputy director of the Irish Photonics Integration Centre at Tyndall National Institute and a professor of Physics at University College Cork. They discuss the International Summer School on Biophotonics that Peter and Stefan co-founded more than 20 years ago, which is now supported by SPIE, with a continued mission of what they say is simply "excellence, excellence, excellence."

This is the third and final installment of a multi-part series featuring optics and photonics industry pioneer Robin Hawk. In this episode, she talks with host Justine Murphy about some of the experiences she’s had throughout her schooling and career, and offers some expert insight into the future of the photonics and optics industry, and the overarching R&D umbrella.  

In this second installment of a multi-part series, Robin Hawk, an optics and photonics industry pioneer and CEO of Galxyz LLC, talks about the new company and the groundbreaking developments they’re already making, including nuclear diamond-powered photonics platforms.

This is the first of a multi-part series featuring Robin Hawk, a pioneer in the optics and photonics industry who has co-developed several technologies, including HDTV. She is now CEO of Galxyz LLC, a company she founded with her husband, Dan Hawk, where they’re developing next-generation technologies like nuclear diamond-powered ultraviolet quantum photonics platforms, end-to-end optical network systems, and nuclear-electric power systems. In this episode, she talks about her extensive background in the industry, and her experiences working alongside some of the world’s most renowned researchers and scientists.  

With time constraints and other considerations, not everything from our Following the Photons podcast interviews makes the cut. So, in this episode, we’re sharing some never-before-heard excerpts from a few of those fascinating interviews. ****************************** If you’ve got a novel, innovative product or system, let us know! Laser Focus World’s Innovator Awards can help shine the spotlight on your work that it deserves! Click here to learn more and to start your entry or nomination today! The deadline is August 8.

In this episode, host Justine Murphy is talking with Hamed Sattari, CEO of CCRAFT, a spinoff of ELENA, a three-and-half-year research project funded by the European Commission under the Horizon 2020 program, that ultimately produced a platform for photonic integrated circuits based on lithium-niobate-on-insulator. Hamed has more than 15 years of experience in the field, and aims to continue moving the next generation of photonics technology into the future.  

Here's another roundup of some of the most exciting news happening in the photonics industry!  

This week’s episode features Dr. Matthew E. L. Jungwirth, manager of Technical Content and Scientific Publishing and Press Manager  at SPIE. He has degrees in physics, electrical engineering, and optical sciences, and holds 25 patents, has authored numerous publications, and has released products in areas ranging from barcode sensing to quantum information processing.  

In this episode, host Justine Murphy talks with Eléonore Hardy, the Silicon Photonics Partnership Manager at CEA-Leti. She has worked in the optics/photonics industry since 2005, and is now dedicated to developing new business opportunities in silicon photonics for applications like high-performance computing.

Jeff Hutchins, director of optical technologies in the CTO office at Ranovus—an Ontario, Canada-based company focused on next-generation optical interconnect solutions via silicon photonics—is dedicated to advancing and educating the photonics and optics industry. He’s heavily involved in the Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF), for which he serves as vice chair of its Energy Efficient Interfaces initiative.

The intriguing Dr. Birgit Stiller is the focus of this episode. She’s a professor at Leibniz University Hannover, and an experimental physicist and researcher at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light in Germany, where she leads the Quantum Optoacoustics independent research group. With numerous accolades under her belt, Dr. Stiller has spent years focused on integrated photonic circuits, Brillouin scattering in photonic crystal fibers, and now quantum communications, specifically quantum key distribution and quantum hacking.

In this episode, host Justine Murphy talks with Dr. Ramy Shelbaya, co-founder and CEO of Quantum Dice. A physicist with a Ph.D. in atomic and laser physics from the University of Oxford, he's spent years working on quantum technologies for a variety of applications.

This episode features Jason Eichenholz, an entrepreneur who has founded several tech startups, and a recognized pioneer in laser- and photonics-enabled innovation. He's also founder of Jonathan's Landing Foundation, a non-profit that creates a comprehensive community for adults with autism.