Another Summer Symposium, Another Academic Year Concluded!
B-PHOT recently co-hosted the Summer Symposium 2025, once again marking the end of the academic year for the interuniversity Master of Science in Photonics Engineering (MSPE) programme. In collaboration with UGent, the event highlighted the achievements of second-year master’s students as they presented the results of their thesis work, following two years of focused study and hands-on research.
Held across the campuses of Vrije Universiteit Brussel and Ghent University, the Symposium brought together professors, researchers, industrial experts, and fellow students. The event featured a wide range of thesis topics, including biomedical optics, freeform imaging, photonic integration, and terahertz (THz) communication. These presentations reflected the interdisciplinary nature of the programme and the students’ ability to address complex challenges in photonics.
Recognising Outstanding Work
A highlight of the event was the presentation of two awards recognising notable student contributions:
🥇 Best Thesis Award
Garzan Arda AKIN received the Best Thesis Award for his work on “Photonic Filter Based on a Multi-Wavelength Laser for THz Communications.”
Promoted by Dr. Pablo Marin-Palomo and Prof. Martin Virte, Arda’s thesis stood out for its technical depth and potential impact on future wireless communication systems.Reflecting on his experience, Arda shared:
“I truly enjoyed the investigative process during my thesis; it felt like exploring the unexplored seas, full of curiosity and discovery. It was an absolute blast working at the front end of science.”
🥇 Best Presentation Award
Ifeanyichukwu UMEADI OKONKWO was awarded the Best Presentation Award for his engaging talk titled “Distortion-Free Wide-Field-Of-View Thermal Imaging Design Using Freeform Optics.”
Promoted by Prof. Lien Smeesters and supervised by Dr. Alejandro Madrid Sanchez and Dr. Simone Sorgato. Ifeany’s work was praised for its clarity, innovation, and relevance to practical optical system design.
He remarked:
“My thesis presented numerous challenges, particularly in minimizing distortion for an ultra-wide field-of-view design. With the support of my supervisors and colleagues, I was able to develop solutions that I was proud to present at the symposium, and I was pleased that the audience found them engaging and valuable.”
After the academic programme, students, professors, and their supervisors had the opportunity to reflect on the work presented and the progress made over the past two years.
The Summer Symposium 2025 reaffirmed the programme’s commitment to developing highly skilled, research-driven engineers prepared to advance the field of photonics and tackle tomorrow’s challenges.
