SYMPOSIUM

Advancing Excellence in Photonics for Flanders and the World

A UGent-VUB Symposium marking 20 Years of the Joint Master of Science in Photonics Engineering

19-20 October 2026

Detailed program

Day 1 - 19 October 2026 - Plenary Symposium Session and Walking Dinner

Venue: Royal Library of Belgium (KBR), Kunstberg 28, 1000 Brussels (near Central Station)  

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14:00 Welcome address, by prof. Petra De Sutter, rector of UGent

14:05 20 years of the joint UGent-VUB MSc in Photonics Engineering, by prof. R. Baets (UGent) and prof. H. Ottevaere (VUB)

14:25 Photonics: Thriving Scientific Discovery and Innovation, by prof. Thomas Krauss (professor at Univ. of York)

14:55 Photonics: Scaling to a Mainstream Industrial Sector, by dr. Michael Lebby (CEO of GenusTechnik)

15:25 Innovation, Inclusion & Collective Confidence, by Ms. Françoise Chombar (Chair of the Board of Melexis)

15:55 Break

16:40 Short invited presentations about selected topics in photonics research and innovation by alumni

• Dr. Peru Dharani (Senior Vice-President Research at Barco)

• Dr. Pierre Wahl (Founder and Head of Technology and Research at Luceda Photonics)

• Dr. Adetunmise Dada (Lecturer and Head of EQOQI Lab at Glasgow University)

• Dr. Joanne Oh (Senior Optical Engineer and Scrum Master at ASML)

• Dr. Arno Bouwens (Vice President of Engineering at Amatera Biosciences)

17:55 Closing words, by prof. Jan Danckaert, rector of VUB

18:00 Reception

18:30 Walking dinner

20:30 End