Photonics event showcases star alumnus, University innovation

Professor John Dudley, the renowned physicist recently named a distinguished alumnus, was the star attraction at a photonics evening at the Fale Pasifika.

Attendance at the 30 April event, held in conjunction with the Dodds-Walls Centre for Quantum and Photonic Technologies, spanned researchers, venture capital, tech companies, and central and local government.

Dudley, of L'Université Marie et Louis Pasteur in France, gave a talk on photonics as a key enabling technology and the two-way street of basic research and innovation. 

The scientist is known for his significant contributions to the fields of ultrafast optics, supercontinuum generation and nonlinear physics, including research exploring the origins of rogue waves.

A commercialisation showcase at the event featured diverse ventures. 

The exhibitors were:

• Dr Jami Shepherd (Resonesis – Ultrasonic Resonance Computing)
• Dr Liam Quinn (Optical Ising machine, with Professors Stéphane Coen and Miro Erkintalo)
• Dr Francesco Merola – Photonic device for Varroa control in New Zealand and beyond
• Dr Michél Nieuwoudt – Non-invasive skin cancer detection (Luminoma)
•  Dr Stephen Lo – Real-time prostate cancer detection (Probentis)