Thévenaz, Kippenberg elected to Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences
Luc Thévenaz and Tobias Kippenberg © EPFL
Luc Thévenaz and Tobias Kippenberg, both professors in the School of Engineering, have been elected full members of the Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences as of January 1, 2023.
According to a Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences (SATW) press release on March 28, Thévenaz, head of the Group for Fibre Optics (GFO), was appointed SATW full member “in recognition of his pioneering role in the development of fiber-optic technologies and new solutions for photonics-based sensors.” In the GFO, Thévenaz leads research on advanced applications of optical fibers that range from optical signal processing to sophisticated sensing techniques. His notable career achievements include the invention of a novel configuration for distributed Brillouin fiber sensing based on a single laser source, and the first experimental demonstration of optically controlled slow and fast light in optical fibers, realized at ambient temperature and operating at any wavelength.
Meanwhile Kippenberg, head of the joint School of Engineering/School of Basic Sciences Laboratory of Photonics and Quantum Measurements (K-Lab), was named full member “in recognition of his pioneering research in quantum optomechanics, the development of micro-resonator-based optical frequency combs and his contribution as the co-creator of photonic integrated circuit technology.” His research interests include the science and applications of ultra high-Q microcavities. With his research group, he notably discovered chip-scale Kerr frequency comb generation, and observed radiation pressure backaction effects in microresonators that have now been developed into the field of cavity optomechanics.
The two scientists were among 12 new Full Members added by the SATW for 2023. All new members will be honored at a certificate presentation ceremony at the SATW General Meeting on May 17th.
The SATW is a network of elected individual members, member organizations, and experts in engineering sciences in Switzerland, and is connected with the highest Swiss bodies for science, politics, and industry. Those who are elected to the status of full member are “individuals who make a special contribution to furthering the Academy’s goals and/or the engineering sciences.”