ACP 2023 Special Symposium on

Optica Foundation Challenge for Groundbreaking Innovations

- Use photonics, find a solution, and change the world.

In May 2022, the Optica Foundation Challenge was launched with the vision to “Use photonics, find a solution, and change the world.” This program sought proposals aimed at tackling global issues in three areas—environment, health and information—via solutions driven by optics and photonics. In October 2022, after reviewing nearly 100 applications from across the globe, the Challenge Program Committee of selected and announced ten winners, who had been awarded US$100,000 each (US$1,000,000 total) in seed money to explore their cutting-edge ideas for addressing important technical challenges. In this ACP 2023 Symposium, some of the 2022 Challenge Program Winners will share their groundbreaking innovations and the progresses made so far. In addition, some members of the Optica leadership team and the Challenge Program Committee will be presenting on the vision, scope and future plans for this exciting program. Moreover, the newly selected 2023 Challenge Program Winners and their research topics will be introduced. It is also the aim of this Symposium to bring together professors, graduate students, and industry experts at ACP 2023 to discuss and exchange ideas on important challenges and groundbreaking innovations in optics and photonics that will benefit our global society in a profound way.

Time: Monday, 6 November 2023, 2:00pm~5:00pm

      (Eight 20-min Invited Talks, followed by a 20-min Panel Discussion)

Symposium Organizers:

Ning Liu, Soochow University, Suzhou, China

Xiang Liu, Huawei Hong Kong Research Center, China

Speakers：

Elizabeth Rogan, CEO of Optica

Topic: Vision of the Optica Foundation Challenge Program

John Taylor, Deputy Senior Director, Optica Foundation

Topic: Introducing the 2022 and 2023 Optica Foundation Challenge Winners 

Chaoran Huang, Chinese University of Hong Kong

Topic: Increasing Information Processing Capacity and Energy Efficiency 

Mengjie Yu, University of Southern California, USA

Topic: Photonic Integrated Circuits for Optical Communications 

Xingchen Ji, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China

Topic: Developing Integrated OCT Platform using Low-loss Silicon Nitride

Xiang Liu, Optica Challenge Program Selection Committee Member

Topic: Exciting Challenges and Opportunities in the Field of Optics and Photonics

More confirmed speakers are to be announced in September 2023.