Program 2021

(Maximum number of participants: 12)

The workshop deals with how you can present your scientific topics in a way that is understandable particularly for people outside the field. We will practice working out the core of research results and formulating them in a few sentences. The central exercise is an elevator pitch in which you explain a science-related project.

(Maximum number of participants: 25)

As a researcher you are facing the challenge of presenting results in different media and for a variety of target groups. Concise and appealing visualization plays a major role in ensuring that the core scientific message reaches your audience.
With the focus on data visualization, you will get an overview of basic design elements such as fonts, images and colors. You will also learn important design principles, e.g. how to create visual consistency or how to make an element an eye-catcher. Use design elements in a targeted way and connect with your audience!

DIY Lab Automation
Controlling lab components from the bathtub or collecting data during your sleep – automating your experimental setup is fun and pretty easy due to currently available microcontrollers. In this workshop, you learn how to utilize different kinds of sensors, how to control actuators or electrical signals and – most importantly – how to let devices communicate with each other and yourself! Feel free to throw in all your creativity and connect with your photonics fellows not just on a social level, but a virtual one by building a smart interpersonal data network. Basic knowledge in programming and electronics is helpful but not necessary for participating.

In this interactive talk, Daniela Elsner, business-life coach, psychotherapist (HPr.G), professor of learning and teaching, and author of the book “Ausgebalanced” (Gabal Verlag) critically examines the current model of a work-life-balance balance. A new model for achieving more satisfaction and control in matters of combining our private and professional lives, called “The Tailor Your LIFE Principle” is being introduced. It consists of 10 applicable strategies to improve our state of well-being between business and private matters, different roles and obligations. This online talk is aimed at all those who want to acquire new patterns of action to deal with the combination of their professional and private challenges.

(Maximum number of participants: 15)

Social Media is so much more than cat-content on Instagram, Tiktok or YouTube. When looking at LinkedIn, it has become one of the favorite places to look for a future job or even for companies to look for future employees. This workshop aims to connect both sides – how to present oneself as an experienced candidate and on the other side how companies scan social media in order to find the perfect match for its vacancies and what kind of impact that should have on individual profiles.
In general, this workshop aims on academic students at any level of their career and no basic knowledge on social media is necessary. Participants are very welcome to bring their own questions to the session.

In this workshop-like discussion, we will explore what an entrepreneurial mindset is and why it is the foundation for transforming research projects into business ideas. The discussion will be supplemented with a short input by Dr. Sebastian Händschke, which introduces “Entrepreneurship” based on the literal meaning of the term and relates it to the history of optics and science in Thuringia and to thus to prosperous city of Jena as we see it today.

(Maximum number of participants: 25)

In this Workshop, we´ll look at a few common pitfalls in the application process. We´ll take a special look at the online job hunt. Topics can be (subject to selection based on a pre-course questionnaire):
– Digital etiquette
– Supply and demand: how can you find the soft spots on the labour market and in the application process?
– How can you present yourself in an interview? What is a good pitch?

Have you ever wondered why your colleague got picked to lead the new project even though you had your eyes on that opportunity and are much more qualified for the job? Have you been passed over for a promotion (yet again), even though you’ve continuously delivered outstanding results? You start to wonder if work performance even matters at all when it comes to progressing in your career. The answer is: It does, but not as much as you’d like it to. In his book, “Empowering Yourself: The Organizational Game Revealed” Harvey Coleman states that performance contributes only 10% to getting a promotion. Your image and the visibility you have in your company are far more important to progressing in your career. I get how frustrating this can be for women in STEM. After all, rarely is “how to represent yourself” or “communicate with confidence” part of an on-boarding or development program. Which leaves you wondering how you can stand out and become recognised as an expert. In this talk I’ll share the three mistakes that keep women in STEM from creating bigger opportunities for themselves – and how to overcome them.

Join me if you

• don’t know how to show up as an expert with confidence.

• lack visibility with the right people and no one seems to know who you are and what you can contribute.

• feel you lack the communication skills you need to make your ideas heard.

We are curious! What creative projects have the participants of this year’s Makeathon developed? Here there will be presented the results to the community!

In the Fraunhofer Online Escape Game, players in small groups of 4-6 people spend 45 minutes combining clues, solving puzzles and piecing together information to complete their mission. The mission is: Save the results of years of research on the topic of sustainable development at the Fraunhofer Gesellschaft.
The game is played in a combination of a game website and a quiz app on a smartphone. The joint video conference acts as a common communication tool.

Have you ever thought about your career options? What do you think it takes to become an entrepreneur? And what has your PhD to do with that? YES is a professional coaching programme offering workshops tailored to PhD students, Postdocs and those interested in doing a PhD throughout Germany. This session gives you insights into how YES workshops foster your entrepreneurial mind- and skillset and how you can turn your PhD into a startup idea.

We will aim to give a brief overview over the Quantum Photonics activities at the Fraunhofer IOF and the Uni’s Abbe Center of Photonics and highly a few flagship projects. From photonic quantum computers, to new quantum materials, to the development of quantum satellites: these projects will define the photonics research landscape and the curricula of academics in Jena for years to come. Be part of the journey.

Carreer at Berliner Glas / ASML

Short presentation about Berliner Glas / ASML Berlin, overview products and technologies, job characteristics, carreer opportunities, people at ASML Berlin

High-repetition rate fiber-lasers for ultrafast data acquisition in science and industry

A brief introduction on high-repetition rate femtosecond sources based on fiber lasers is given and multiple application examples are presented. This is done with respect to different roles that a young scientist can play in a thriving company currently making the transition from a start-up to a well-established player in the industry.

The Max Planck School of Photonics (MPSP) is an interdisciplinary graduate school in Germany that provides an integrated MSc and PhD program (or „PhD only“) in Photonics for excellent graduates from all over the world. We differ from other international graduate schools by combining the knowledge of the brightest minds in the field of photonics all over Germany. And you can become part of it by joining our network!
Dr. Reinhard Geiss, scientific coordinator of the MPSP, will give an insight into the MPSP PhD program and its unique benefits. The application phase for admission in the MPSP program in autumn 2022 is now open until December. Details about the application and selection processes will be presented.

t.b.c.

Trusting in brave ideas @ TRUMPF – Career and entry opportunities

Part 1 Corporate Presentation

Dr. Patrick Leisching, Senior Vice President R&D, will give a short presentation about TOPTICA Photonics, their products and technologies, and people culture at TOPTICA.

The TOPTICA group today has today 340 employees in 6 entities with a consolidated group revenue of close to 76 Mio € (90 Mio $). Our lasers basically cover all wavelengths for major applications in quantum technologies, biophotonics and industrial metrology.

All Wavelengths! – Join the TOPTICA Team and add your own color.

Part 2 TOPTICA Proprietary – Next generation ultrafast fiber lasers for science and industry

Dr. Fabian Röser, R&D Project Manager Fiberlasers will give an exciting overview of our special product line Ultrafast Fiber Lasers: Ultrafast technology has seen an unpredictable success ever since it was introduced. Many promising applications have emerged benefiting mainly from the high peak power and ultrashort pulse duration which give rise to nonlinear effects and open new paths in engineering and scientific research. The key for successful integration of ultrafast technology are robust, cost-effective systems with simple push-button operation.

TOPTICA offers several products fulfilling these requirements: ultrafast fiber lasers based on Erbium (Er) and Ytterbium (Yb) like the FemtoFiber smart, FemtoFiber pro, FemtoFiber ultra and FemtoFiber dichro series. All these systems are based on TOPTICA FemtoFiber technology.

Part 1: Corporate Presentation
Jennifer Cicka, HR Assistant, will give a short presentation about Tesat-Spacecom GmbH & Co. KG (“TESAT”).
At TESAT in Backnang, around 1,100 employees develop, manufacture and distribute systems and equipment for telecommunications via satellite. The product range spans from smallest space-specific components to modules, entire assemblies or payloads. As world’s only provider and technology leader in optical terminals for data transmission via laser, TESAT has a focus on commercial and institutional space programs.

Part 2: Laser Communication in Space
Dr. Hanno Scheife, Team Lead “Optical Modules & Systems”, will present an overview of different generations of laser communication terminals for high-data-rate optical communication in space. The talk will focus on engineering as well as manufacturing & test aspects in the context of industrial production for harsh environments with many exciting career opportunities.

From academia to industry the field of quantum technologies is highly collaborative as we enter the second quantum revolution. Whether you are looking for your ideal job, to enhance your skillset or to find out more about opportunities in quantum, considering a career in quantum technologies could be an option for you – come and see how your expertise can be useful!

In this talk QURECA will discuss the different opportunities for anyone willing to take their professional paths within the field of quantum technologies, and how QURECA can help to take part in the quantum revolution.

Genaro Montanez, Chief of Employee and Membership Engagement Officer in Washington (OPTICA), will present an introduction of the career fair and what to expect at the booth of OPTICA.

Career Fair in cooperation with OPTICA with different representatives from the optics and photonics industry. Check out their virtual booths and get in contact with (possibly) your next exployer.

Diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging for All is the foundation for equitable workplaces. We are happy to present to you how the State Development Corporation of Thuringia promotes diversity to develop an inclusive organisation.

„Never measure anything but frequency“ – Arthur Schawlow

The optical frequency comb is a unique tool for measuring light frequencies. The original idea was conceived in a lab and was brought into the market in 2001 by Menlo Systems, with the mission of accelerating the advancement of optical technology for precision measurements and their applications. Now, 20 years later, one can find that frequency combs are used all over the globe for research topics so diverse as building the most accurate clocks in the world, as quantum computing, or as high-resolution spectroscopy. Join the session to discover more about Menlo Systems, our technology and research projects, and how the transition from academia to industry can look like.

Become a Jenius
How Jenoptik contributes to the next step of our humanity and you can be part of a better future. Act, think and become a Jenius-grow beyond yourself to explore new things.

The presentation will provide an overview of the activities of ADVA in the field of fiber optic communications. In short video clips, you will tour the modern factory in Meiningen, including the research and development department, and you will learn about the top research activities which you could join in ADVA’s advanced technology team.

Working at ZEISS – Challenging the limits of imagination
Ever since ZEISS was founded 175 years ago, curiosity, passion, precision, and innovation has been in the DNA of the company. ZEISS is an innovator in a lot of business fields – for example in the Medical Technology sector. As a developer at ZEISS Medical Technology, Markus Strehle will talk about optical technologies in medical applications, and how the teams of developers realize innovations with a highly customer-centric product development approach.

The Future Depends on Optics – and Edmund Optics is proud to play a part
Edmund Optics, with one of the largest inventories of optical and imaging components, is proud to enable various future oriented applications addressing today’s and tomorrow’s challenges. With a company history of almost 80 years, the family owned US-company has become a very young, dynamic and awarded employer with opportunities around the globe.