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Distinguished Lecturer Program

The IEEE Photonics Society Distinguished Lecturer Program was designed to honor excellent speakers who have made technical, industrial or entrepreneurial contributions to the field of photonics and to enhance the technical programs of the IEEE Photonics Society Chapters.

How to Request a Distinguished Lecturer

To request a Distinguished Lecturer for an upcoming chapter event, review the list of Distinguished Lecturers’ various talks below and reach out to the lecturer directly via the contact information provided. Distinguished Lecturers are volunteers of the Society, not full-time staff. Meaning, lecturers determine their travel arrangements and time commitment around their individual, work-life balance schedules. 

In order to secure a lecturer, make sure to contact the lecturers early and preferably months prior to your event. If a lecturer is available at the time of your event and accepts a talk invitation, the lecturer will travel to your chapter or give a virtual lecture at no cost to the chapter. 

How to Apply for the Distinguished Lecturer Program

Application Period: June 1 – August 31, 2025

Applicants must complete their submission by the submission deadline.

A complete application package submitted must include: 

  • List of the applicant’s most significant contributions that qualify the applicant for the program as well as other related accomplishments. Include invited talks that the applicant has given on his/her research.
  • Applicant’s curriculum vita (three-page limit).
  • Endorsements: List the names, affiliations, and emails of individuals who have agreed to write letters of support. (minimum of two required, maximum three)
  • Title and abstract for (1) technical research and (1) career-focused content
  • Video submission of technical presentation abstract (1)


Apply Now!
Submission Deadline: August 31, 2025

IEEE Photonics Society Distinguished Lecturers

Chapters may request Distinguished Lecturers to give talks at chapter meetings, chapter-related events or technically co-sponsored conferences, organized by a chapter.

Liangcai Cao 2025DL

Liangcai Cao

Term: 2025
Tsinghua University, China

Technical Talk: Intelligent Photonics: A Disruptive Technology to Shape the Present and Redefine the Future

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In 2024, the Nobel Prizes in Physics and Chemistry were awarded for advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), which has made breathtaking progress in recent years, evolving into a strategic technology for pioneering the future. The growing demand for computing power—especially in demanding inference tasks, exemplified by generative AI models such as ChatGPT—poses challenges for conventional electronic computing systems. Advances in photonics technology have ignited interest in investigating photonic computing as a promising AI computing modality. Through the profound fusion of AI and photonics technologies, intelligent photonics is developing as an emerging interdisciplinary field with significant potential to revolutionize practical applications. Deep learning, as a subset of AI, presents efficient avenues for optimizing photonic design, developing intelligent optical systems, and performing optical data processing and analysis. Employing AI in photonics can empower applications such as smartphone cameras, biomedical microscopy, and virtual and augmented reality displays. Conversely, leveraging photonics-based devices and systems for the physical implementation of neural networks enables high speed and low energy consumption. Applying photonics technology in AI computing is expected to have a transformative impact on diverse fields, including optical communications, automatic driving, and astronomical observation. In this talk, recent advances in intelligent photonics are introduced from the perspective of the synergy between deep learning and metaphotonics, holography, and quantum photonics. This talk will also spotlight relevant applications and offer insights into challenges and prospects.

Professional Development Talk Title: The innovation research journey for undergraduate and graduate students

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Conducting innovative research is a fundamental yet challenging task for undergraduate and graduate students aspiring to excel in academia. This talk aims to address key questions surrounding the process of generating original ideas, effectively utilizing research resources, and achieving impactful outcomes, such as publication in leading international journals. Using exemplary cases from undergraduate students at Tsinghua University, this talk will illustrate the pathways to successful innovation in research. Participants will gain insights into identifying research opportunities, leveraging laboratory resources, and initiating projects through comprehensive literature reviews. Furthermore, this talk will introduce essential methodologies, tools, and collaborative techniques designed to foster creativity and enhance teamwork within research environments. Attendees will acquire actionable strategies to streamline their research processes and develop novel ideas with academic rigor. This talk is designed to provide a structured and scholarly perspective on innovation in research, offering practical guidance for students at all stages of their academic journey.

Masayuki Fujita Osaka University Toyonaka, Japan Phone: +81-6-6850-6337 Email: fujita@ee.es.osaka-u.ac.jp

Masayuki Fujita

Term: 2025
Osaka University, Japan

Techincal Talk Title: Terahertz meets the idea of silicon photonics

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Between radio waves and light, there exists a wide untapped region in the electromagnetic spectrum: terahertz waves. Terahertz frequencies combine the penetration of radio waves and the large bandwidth of light, which makes them great candidates for next-generation information communication technology. However, terahertz frequencies are right at the upper limit of what conventional electronics are capable of, and the development of terahertz devices is a challenging field of interdisciplinary research. In this talk, I will present how the idea of silicon photonics can overcome the critical issues of terahertz devices and will open the potential applications of terahertz waves.

Professional Development Talk Title: Wonderful meetings open up new worlds

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My research career started with Ph. D work with my wonderful supervisors and peers. Fortunately, I achieved the first room-temperature continuous-wave operation of microdisk lasers and the lowest threshold current in GaInAsP lasers during my Ph. D journey. Thanks to the opportunity of a great meeting, I initiated the research on photonic crystals, including spontaneous emission control and efficient light-emitting diodes with academic and industrial colleagues at the excellent university laboratory. Guided by wonderful connections, my research interests involve not only nanophotonics but also terahertz systems under strong collaborations with global partners to open up new worlds.

Kuchta 2025DL

Daniel M. Kuchta

Term: 2025
Nvidia, USA

Technical Talk Title: Co-Packaged Optical Modules for HPC, Data Center and AI Applications

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This talk will cover the status of co-packaging efforts, both VCSEL- and SiPh-based, where they fit into the Ethernet switch market and the evolving Computer IO market, and how these technologies are advancing HPC, Data Center, and AI applications. The emphasis will be on new requirements and challenges driven by AI systems.

Career Focused Talk Title: Benefits and Challenges of working in Corporate Research: A 30 year perspective

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Research in a corporate environment usually requires a PhD. This talk will start with the decision to pursue a PhD and the benefit of being an IEEE student member. It will then focus on how to build a successful career in a corporate research environment that faces constant external market pressures. It draws on my 32-year experience at IBM Research. It will also cover my involvement with optical conference committees.

Howard2025DL

Ho Wai (Howard) Lee

Term: 2025
University of California, Irvine, USA

Technical Talk Title: Extreme Active Meta-Optics, “Meta”-Optical Fibers, and Zero-Index Photonics

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The ability to control flow of light is important for optical applications, leading to photonic technologies that significantly impact daily life, such as high-speed optical internet, ultrathin optical displays, novel lasers, and medical imaging tools. Over the last two decades of photonic science advances, the optical metamaterials and metasurfaces paradigm has revolutionized photonic matter design using nanoscale structures, yielding new optical properties and functions not found in natural materials. These ultrathin optical metasurfaces consist of arrays of subwavelength light scatterers (i.e., optical antennas), leading to unique control of light properties. Due to metasurfaces’ planar, thin-film nature (typical thickness <100 nm), they can replace conventional bulky 3D optics and enable ultrathin optical components such as flat lenses, wave plates, and holographic surfaces over a broad spectral range, significantly impacting next-generation optical displays, communications, and consumer optoelectronic applications. While metasurfaces show exceptional promise, there are several limitations such as the lack of optical turnabilities of metasurfaces and the challenges on integrating functional metasurfaces into optical devices/systems, etc.

In this talk, I will give an overview of our research efforts on electrically and nonlinear optically tunable meta-optics and zero-index optics for developing new active optical applications. I will present our recent advances on the use of transparent conducting oxide and conducting polymer materials to demonstrate electrically-tunable ultrathin optical metasurfaces that can tune the optical phase and amplitude for light steering and nonlinear/quantum emission control [1-3]. In addition, strongly enhanced optical nonlinearity of nano-engineered conducting oxide epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) meta-film will be discussed [4-7]. Recent developments of 2D ITO ENZ and neural network designed ENZ materials will be presented. I will then discuss our study on a new type of “meta”-optical fiber which merges the sciences of optical metasurfaces and optical fibers, leading to the development of ultrathin optical meta-optical fiber probe for potential medical imaging endoscope and laser surgery applications [8-11]. These advanced “meta”-optics open the path to novel in-fiber lasers/spectroscopies, optical imaging/sensing, and optical/quantum communication applications.

Professional Development Talk Title: Tips on Preparing Toward an Academic Research Career

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Scientists who can effectively communicate their research, orally or in writing, improve their ability to publish manuscripts, find a job, be better mentors for future scientists, obtain funding, and make science more accessible and inclusive to different groups. Moreover, to be competitive for the workforce, soft skills like communication, scientific networking, and self-motivation are important. In this talk, I will (1) discuss about the necessary research attitude and future career opportunity for graduate students, (2) provide information and advices to engage with photonics community as young scientist, and (3) provide suggestions on how to prepare a compelling scientific presentation. 

Alouini2025DL

Mohamed-Slim Alouini

Term: 2025
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Saudi Arabia

Technical Talk Title: Towards connecting the remaining Unconnected

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The transformative influence of Internet and Communication Technology (ICT) has reshaped society, touching every aspect from the economy to healthcare. As the widespread deployment of 5G continues, there is an on-going focus on the inception of the sixth generation (6G) of wireless communication systems (WCSs). Anticipated to shape the future of connectivity in the 2030s, 6G aims to deliver unparalleled communication services to meet the demands of hyper-connectivity.

While densely populated urban areas have traditionally been the primary beneficiaries of WCS advancements, the vision for 6G transcends city limits. Aligned with the United Nations’ sustainability goals for 2030, an important aspect of 6G endeavors to democratize the benefits of ICT, fostering global connectivity sustainably. This talk delves into this particular envisioned landscape of 6G, providing insights into the future of wireless communication and guiding research efforts towards sustainable, inclusive, and high-speed connectivity solutions for the future. Central to this discussion are two emerging technologies: Free Space Optics (FSO) and Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN). These innovative solutions hold the promise of extending high-speed connectivity beyond urban hubs to underserved regions, fostering digital inclusivity and contributing to the development of remote areas. Through this exploration, we aim to convey the potential of 6G and its role in shaping a connected, sustainable future for all.

Professional Development Talk: Crossing Boundaries: Leveraging Cross-Domain Insights for Scientific Reinvention

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 In today’s dynamic scientific environment, reinvention is essential to maintain relevance and impact. This talk emphasizes how tools and knowledge from other domains can significantly enhance a scientist’s contributions when entering new fields. By leveraging interdisciplinary approaches, scientists can apply innovative methodologies, performance analysis techniques, and theoretical frameworks from diverse areas to their new research endeavors. The talk provides strategies for successful reinvention, including acquiring new skills, building interdisciplinary networks, and effectively integrating cross-domain insights. Embracing these approaches enables scientists to address complex challenges and drive new research directions, maximizing their impact in emerging fields.

JianWang2025DL

Jian Wang

Term: 2025
Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China

Technical Talk Title: Tailoring Light with 2D/3D Photonic Integrated Devices

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In this talk, I will review advances in tailoring light with 2D/3D photonic integrated devices. After giving a brief introduction, I will present recent works on chip-scale multi-dimensional (complex amplitude, frequency, time, polarization, spatial structure) light field manipulation using silicon-based 2D photonic integrated circuits and silica/polymer-based fs-laser inscribed 3D photonic integrated chips. Then, I will show applications of tailoring light with 2D/3D photonic integrated devices in optical communications and beyond, including multi-dimensional optical transmission/processing, sensing, trapping, metrology, imaging/microscopy, deep diffractive neural networks, high-dimensional quantum gates, etc. Finally, future development trend and prospects will be discussed.

Professional Development Talk: How to Construct a Scientific Research Team: Multi-Dimensional Photonics Laboratory (MDPL)

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I have been leading the multi-dimensional photonics laboratory (MDPL) for over 10 years, focusing on basic and interdisciplinary research on tailoring multiple physical dimensions of photons, especially the space dimension. In this talk, I will talk about how to construct a scientific research team. I will share my successful and unsuccessful experiences in the process of establishing a laboratory, such as research platform construction, research direction selection, researcher recruitment, graduate student cultivation, and laboratory culture. I will also talk about the research driven by the interest and dream and how to treat scientific research as a lifelong career to love.

Archived Distinguished Lecturer Talks

Check out recorded talks from current and past Distinguished Lecturers on a variety of technical and professional development topics.