Daniel Kuchta of IEEE Photonics Society

Biography:

Email:

Address:United States

Juan Rafael Álvarez of OPTICA

Quantum networks enhance quantum communication schemes and link multiple users over large areas. Harnessing high dimensional quantum states - i.e. qu-d-its - allows for a denser transfer of information with increased robustness to noise compared to qubits. Frequency encoding enables access to such qu-d-its at telecom wavelengths, while manipulating quantum information with off-the-shelf fibered devices. In this talk, I will show how we use a low free spectral range silicon microresonator to generate Bell states of dimension d=2 (qubits) and d=3 (qutrits) via spontaneous four wave mixing, to implement and optimize a multi-dimensional frequency-bin entanglement-based quantum key distribution network.

Biography:

Juan Rafael Alvarez Velasquez is an Assistant Professor at Télécom Paris, affiliated with the Institut Polytechnique de Paris and a member of the Optical Telecommunications research group in the Laboratory for the Treatment and Communication of Information (LTCI). He holds a PhD in experimental physics from the University of Oxford, where he worked on light–matter interaction in high-finesse open cavities. His research lies in the field of quantum optics and quantum information technologies, with a particular focus on free-space quantum communications, continuous-variable quantum cryptography, and the deployment of quantum networks. He has notably contributed to the development of decoherence-assisted quantum key distribution protocols and to the generation of random numbers through coherent detection of quantum phase noise. He supervises various projects in quantum physics and photonics involving both academic partners and graduate students. He is also passionate about teaching and the dissemination of science to the general public.

Address:France

Garima Bawa of OPTICA

A career in optics and photonics does not always follow a straight path. In this talk, I will share my journey from working with optical fibers and waveguide sensors during my doctoral research to exploring bio photonics and neurotechnology, including the development of optical sensing platforms for applications in neuroscience. Through examples from my research, I will discuss how fundamental concepts in optics such as light propagation, interference, coupling, and sensing can be translated across seemingly different fields and used to address interdisciplinary problems. I will also reflect on navigating transitions between research areas, learning new skills, and finding opportunities at the intersection of physics, engineering, biology, and medicine. The talk aims to give students a broader perspective on the diverse career and research pathways available in optics and photonics and to encourage them to remain open to opportunities beyond the boundaries of their initial specialization.

Biography:

Dr. Garima Bawa is a postdoctoral researcher at the College of Optics and Photonics (CREOL), University of Central Florida, where her research focuses on optical waveguides, fiber-optic devices, integrated photonics, and optical sensing. She received her Ph.D. in Physics from the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, where she was awarded the Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma Medal for her academic achievements, leadership, and service. She currently serves as a 2026 Optica Ambassador and Vice Chair of Optica’s Fiber Modeling and Fabrication Technical Group. Passionate about scientific communication, mentorship, and community building, she actively works to support students and early-career researchers in developing their confidence, visibility, and professional networks.

Email:

Address:Canada

Luis Borrero of PUCE

Modular Optical Spectroscopy for Materials Characterization is an approach that uses flexible and configurable optical spectroscopy systems to study the physical and chemical properties of different materials. By analyzing how a material interacts with light—through processes such as absorption, emission, reflection, or scattering—it is possible to obtain valuable information about its composition, structure, and optical behavior.

The modular nature of these systems allows different optical components and measurement techniques to be combined and adapted according to the specific characteristics of the material under study. This flexibility makes modular optical spectroscopy a useful tool in areas such as materials science, nanotechnology, chemistry, and engineering.

Biography:

Dr. Borrero holds a Bachelor's degree in Physics from the Central University of Venezuela, a Master's degree in Physics from the Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research, a Doctorate in Sciences with a specialization in Applied Physics from the University of São Paulo, and a Postdoctoral degree in Physics from the University of São Paulo, Brazil. He has worked as a university professor and researcher in Physics in the field of Optics and spectroscopy. His research areas are: Optical spectroscopy, luminescent materials, nanostructures, and optical thermometry. He has published 33 scientific articles in journals indexed in SCOPUS and has 468 citations. He has been granted an industrial patent for a version of the photoelectric effect experiment for measuring Planck's constant and an industrial patent for a prototype LED photometer for absorbance measurements. He has collaborated as a reviewer for several journals and has participated in various national and international scientific events. Additionally, he is a member of the following societies: OPTICA, the Society for Applied Spectroscopy, and the Brazilian Physics Society. He collaborates with researchers in the fields of Chemistry, Materials Science, Engineering, and Architecture. He is currently a professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador and Coordinator of the Applied Optics Laboratory.

Email:

Address:Ecuador

Carlos Reinoso of University Yachay Tech

Spectroscopy is a fundamental scientific tool for understanding the composition, structure, bonding, electronic properties, and surface chemistry of materials. For a developing country such as Ecuador, strengthening capabilities in Raman, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is particularly important because these techniques can connect fundamental science with national priorities in environmental protection, biotechnology, nanotechnology, energy, agriculture, and advanced materials. Beyond their analytical value, spectroscopy laboratories provide an interdisciplinary environment in which students can integrate physics, chemistry, materials science, engineering, data analysis, and instrumentation—core competencies of modern STEM education. Research conducted in Ecuador illustrates the potential of this approach. Work involving collaborators at Yachay Tech and other Ecuadorian institutions has applied complementary spectroscopic techniques to locally relevant materials and technological challenges. Examples include the study of boron-doped carbon nanotubes, where spectroscopy was used to investigate bonding environments and electronic structure; the development of CoFe₂O₄+chitosan+graphene nanocomposites for glyphosate removal, characterized using FTIR, Raman, XPS, and UV–Vis to understand molecular interactions; and research on gold- and silver-functionalized diatoms/diatomite for optical sensing and environmental remediation, where Raman/SERS, FTIR, XPS, UV–Vis and microscopy were combined to investigate nanoparticle–surface interactions and the detection or removal of contaminants. Additional work involving Ecuadorian biodiversity has employed FTIR-ATR and XPS to characterize cellulose-based materials for heavy-metal removal, demonstrating how spectroscopy can support solutions to water-contamination problems. These examples demonstrate that spectroscopy in Ecuador should not be regarded solely as a characterization service, but as a strategic research and educational capability. Training students to acquire, interpret, correlate, and critically evaluate spectroscopic data can help develop a new generation of STEM professionals capable of designing materials, solving national technological problems, and contributing to internationally competitive research.

Biography:

Carlos began his academic journey with a degree in Physics from the National Polytechnic School, broadening his horizons with a Master's degree in Communication Networks in 2013, which led him to pursue a PhD in Solid State Physics, focusing on the fabrication of carbon nanostructures. A graduate with honors from the University of Vienna, Austria, he also enriched his experience as a visiting researcher at Tokyo Metropolitan University in 2014 and 2015. With over a decade of teaching experience, Carlos has guided numerous Ecuadorian students toward Master's and PhD programs. His research has resulted in 24 publications focusing on advanced spectroscopy techniques with applications in bioremediation, geology, semiconductors, and organic and biological materials. His experience in educational management includes serving as Director of Graduate Studies at YachayTech, Director of the Nanotechnology program in 2023 and 2024, and currently as a faculty representative on the UITEY University Council. His work in academia and research continues to chart a course of effort and excellence.

Email:

Address:Ecuador

Andrey Mereshchenko of University Yachay Tech

Lanthanide compounds possess distinctive and tunable emission properties that make them attractive for optical technologies, sensing, forensic science, and bioimaging. However, the direct optical excitation of lanthanide ions is inefficient because their f-f transitions have very low absorption coefficients. This limitation can be overcome through the antenna effect, in which organic ligands efficiently absorb ultraviolet or visible light and transfer the excitation energy to the lanthanide ion.

This presentation discusses the photophysical principles underlying bright lanthanide luminescence, with particular attention to europium(III) antenna complexes. The complex Eu(TTA) 3 Phen (TTA= 2- thenoyltrifluoroacetone, Phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) combines strong ligand-centered absorption with efficient energy transfer to Eu 3+ , producing intense characteristic red emission. The relationship among light absorption, radiative and non-radiative deactivation pathways, and photoluminescence quantum yield is considered.

A strategy for improving luminescence through partial substitution of Eu 3+ with optically inactive rare- earth ions, including Gd 3+ , Lu 3+ , Y 3+ , and La 3+ , is also presented. In Eu x Ln 1−x (TTA) 3 ​Phen systems, incorporation of Gd 3+ and Lu 3+ ions leads to up to an 80% enhancement of emission of the materials, which is associated with structural effects and optimization of ligand triplet-state energetics. Finally,
potential applications of these materials in anti-counterfeiting marks, latent fingerprint visualization, organic light-emitting devices, and silica-protected bioimaging probes are highlighted.

Biography:

Dr. Andrey Mereshchenko is professor and investigator of Yachay Tech University. Dr.Mereshchenko has more than a decade of academic and research experience in physical chemistry, photochemistry, spectroscopy, and materials science. Before joining Yachay Tech in 2025, he served as Associate Professor at St. Petersburg State University. He holds a Ph.D. in Photochemical Sciences from Bowling Green State University (USA) and a Doctor of Chemical Sciences from St. Petersburg State University (Russia). His research combines ultrafast time-resolved spectroscopy, lanthanide coordination chemistry, luminescent nanomaterials, and metal–organic frameworks, with applications in sensing, bioimaging, and functional optical materials. Dr. Mereshchenko brings extensive international research, teaching, and collaboration experience from institutions across the United States, Europe, Asia, and Latin America. He is the author or co-author of 93 peer-reviewed publications and has an h-index of 20 in Web of Science and Scopus. 

Email:

Address:Ecuador