Plenary Talks

“High Performance POF toward Next Generation AI Society”

Yasuhiro Koike
Director, Keio Photonics Research Institute (KPRI)
Project Professor and Professor Emeritus, Keio University, Japan

Yasuhiro Koike is highly regarded internationally as the inventor of Graded-Index Plastic Optical fiber (GI POF). He also invented Zero Birefringent Polymer and Super Birefringent Polymer which have been used in major LCD TVs. He was a Core Researcher of the research project of Face-to-Face Communication system based on the above-mentioned technologies on the FIRST Program which was initiated by the Cabinet Office of Japan in 2014. He was a Visiting Researcher at AT&T Bell Laboratory during 1989-1990. He has been serving as General Chair of International POF Conference since 1992. He was conferred as an Honorary Doctorate of Eindhoven University of Technology in 2007. He served as Affiliate Professor at the University of Washington during 2009-2018. He is a recipient of International Engineering and Technology Award of the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE), and Medal with Purple Ribbon awarded by Emperor of Japan, SID Special Recognition Award, etc.

“Towards the Development of Glass-Fiber Arrays for Quantum Technologies”

Andreas Stute
Professor of Optical Quantum Technologies, Technische Hochschule Nürnberg, Germany.

Andreas Stute is professor of Optical Quantum Technologies at Technische Hochschule Nürnberg, where his research focuses on the miniaturization and industrialization of photonic components and optical systems for quantum devices. His work aims to bridge fundamental quantum optics with practical engineering solutions, enabling scalable quantum technologies for future applications.
He has broad expertise in experimental quantum optics and atom-light interfaces and is currently establishing a research group in optical quantum technologies at TH Nürnberg. Before joining academia, he was a team lead in the development of space optical instruments at Airbus Defence & Space GmbH and OHB System AG, contributing to the transfer of advanced optical technologies from research to practical applications.

“Additive Manufacturing Processes for Optical Waveguides Beyond Lithography”

Ludger Overmeyer
Institute of Transport and Automation Technology, Leibniz University Hannover, Germany

Ludger Overmeyer is a professor of Transport and Automation Technology at Leibniz University Hannover and spokesperson for the PhoenixD Cluster of Excellence. In the field of photonics, his research focuses on innovative process technologies for the manufacture of integrated photonic systems. His work aims to bridge advanced optical technologies with automation engineering to enable scalable solutions for integrated optics. He is deeply involved in the scientific community; notably, he served as president of the Scientific Society for Laser Technology (WLT) from 2021 to 2023 and is a member of numerous societies, such as the Scientific Society for Production Engineering (WGP). Furthermore, he serves as a managing partner of the Institute for Integrated Production Hannover (IPH) and was a member of the Board of Directors at the Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. (LZH) for over a decade. Additionally, he contributes his expertise to the industrial sector as a member of the supervisory board at LPKF Laser & Electronics SE and Viscom AG.