Lien Smeesters

Lien Smeesters (13-01-1989) is a professor at B-PHOT Brussels Photonics, at the Faculty of Engineering of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB). Lien graduated as a photonics engineer from the Master in Engineering Sciences: Photonics, in 2012. She obtained her PhD in Engineering Sciences at VUB in 2016, for her work on ‘Improving food safety with optical screening’. This doctoral degree was granted with greatest distinction and unanimous congratulations of the jury. She continued her research as a postdoctoral researcher within B-PHOT Brussels Photonics, and started as professor in October 2023.

Lien focuses on multidisciplinary research in the field of optical design and optical spectroscopy, pursuing the development of novel spectroscopic detection systems for multi-defect multi-modal sensing. Lien particularly pursues tackling the full supply chain, starting from the optimization of the spectroscopic sensing technology, and the advanced optical design of the illumination and detection system, benefitting from freeform optics, to a proof-of-concept demonstrator. Her research has been recognised with several awards, including the Photonics21 Student Innovation Award and the BiR&D award for Science and Technology. Lien is coordinating and working on applied-oriented research projects in collaboration with industry, via bilateral collaborations, and within the European Commission funded PhotonHub programme.