2024 Special Events

This training will show you how to conceptualize and investigate optical transmission systems based on recommendations from standardization committees or multi-source agreements (MSAs) using professional simulation software. You will learn to model photonic components on different abstraction levels up to entire optical transmission systems corresponding to specifications. Then, evaluate the defined parameters and efficiently automate the design and analysis for new recommendations using the VPIphotonics Design Suite. We will investigate several standardized applications ranging from data center interconnects to high-capacity core network links. We will explore characterization and measurement concepts, demonstrate how to examine the impact of performance-limiting effects, and assess how to mitigate or compensate for them using machine learning algorithms.

Topics include:

• Examine a professional simulation software design environment
• Model photonic component characteristics
• Simulate application scenarios following standards specifications (e.g., 400G ZR, 800G FR-4, TDECQ)
• Investigate new mitigation techniques using machine learning algorithms

This training targets students, early-stage professionals, engineers, and researchers who want to learn how to utilize a professional simulation and design environment. Basic knowledge of the various transmission systems' technologies, concepts, and methodologies is helpful.

This interactive course includes a 4-hour session of lectures, guided labs, and independent work with 1-on-1 support. Attendees will be provided access to the software in a cloud-based environment using their private laptops. Arrive by 1:00 pm for software setup.

RSVP to secure your spot here!

Organizers: Optica Foundation & VPIphotonics

Learn the most powerful techniques expert researchers and professionals use to enhance productivity and make life easier. Join us and take this chance to upgrade your work methods and discuss while enjoying lots of food and drinks in an informal, relaxed, and fun way.

Our everyday research is most fun and productive when concentrating on creative problem-solving. Good news: tools are available for almost all other tasks to simplify your engineering life. Many software packages written by the large community allow you to quickly and easily automate menial tasks, build graphical user interfaces, visualize data, and much more! This event aims to bring awareness of these packages by hosting multiple interactive demos of primarily free and open-source software built in easy-to-learn languages such as Python. The demos are set up around informal discussion tables with plenty of time for inspiring discussion and questions, alternated with lighting talks and videos showing the usage of these tools.

This event is an opportunity to tap into and use the available public resources and learn about the newest tools developed by Ph.D. students and researchers. From students to highly experienced experts, everybody is welcome to learn and share ways to boost their research. Benefit and learn from the trial-and-error of others and get a kickstart in productivity!

Open Call - Present your favorite research hack at OFC 2024! Have you found a tool that you just love and it’s so awesome that you burn to tell the world about it? We are looking for people who found something helpful that they think could benefit the greater community - it could be anything, a single line of code to a full package. As long as it helps you in your research, we - and all 150+ attendees at the Hack your Research! event - would be happy to hear about it! Your chance is a one minute “lightning talk” at the Hack your Research! Event on Sunday March 24th 2024 at 7pm! If you’re interested and want to know more details, we encourage you to submit your idea until 1 March 2024 at http://tiny.cc/lgtntalkofc2024!

Organizers: Henrique Buglia, University College London, United Kingdom; Marco Eppenberger, PsiQuantum, USA; Menno van den Hout, Eindhoven University of Technology, Netherlands; Vincent van Vliet, Eindhoven University of Technology, Netherlands

Advisory Committee: Nicolas Fontaine, Nokia Bell Labs, USA; Binbin Guan, Microsoft, USA; Roland Ryf, Nokia Bell Labs, USA; Jochen Schroeder, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden

Executive Forum - The Premier Annual Event for Leaders in Optical Networking and Communications

Co-located with OFC, the Premier Event in Telecom and Data Center Optics’ this is an Optica Industry Event. The Executive Forum features C-level panel-ists in an informal, uncensored setting discussing the latest issues facing the industry and your business. Leaders from top companies discuss critical technol-ogy advancements and business opportunities that will shape the network in 2024 and the future.

For over 25 years, the Optica Executive Forum has been the premier annual event for leaders in opti-cal networking and communications.  The forum will be co-located with OFC 2024, the largest and most important gathering of the optical communications community.  The Optica Executive Forum is hosted by Optica’s corporate membership engagement pro-gram. The Executive Forum features C-level speakers in an informal, unscripted setting discussing the latest business issues facing the industry and your company. Leaders from top companies discuss the business opportunities that will shape the network in 2024 and the future.


Separate fee is required

The OFC Student Party is an opportunity for students to meet and network in a fun and relaxed environment. Join us for a night of engaging conversations and delicious food! 

RSVP to secure your spot here!

Please be sure to bring a form of ID with you to the event.

Join OFC General Chairs Chris Fludger, Roland Ryf and Dimitra Simeonidou for a conversation with Plenary Speakers, Anita Döhler, Inder Monga and David J. Richardson.

Employers and job seekers can connect in person during the conference at the OFC Career Zone.

Join OFC committee members, journal editors, and distinguished researchers for an interactive workshop on how to write a highly scored OFC paper. We will discuss the qualities of great OFC submissions and the common reasons why papers are rejected from OFC. The workshop will kick off with a few short talks followed by smaller breakout/brainstorming sessions and end with some time for networking. Light refreshments will be provided.

RSVP to secure your spot here!

Organizers:
Georg Rademacher, National Inst. of Information & Comm Tech, Japan
Paolo Monti, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden

Join conference co-sponsors IEEE Communications Society, IEEE Photonics Society, and Optica for a special luncheon to recognize the award and honor recipients from each society. The event is open to anyone who purchases a ticket, but seating is limited. Tickets can be purchased for USD 45.00.

The program will include the presentation of the 2024 John Tyndall Award, society Fellows and other recognitions.

Support by: 

Infinera

Even as we inch asymptotically ever closer to the Shannon Limit or upper bounds on spectral efficiency, the terabit era is upon us with a new generation of embedded and pluggable optical engines. In parallel, next-generation optical line systems are enabling more flexibility and capacity and, in the process, creating new deployment options and tradeoffs for operators. Join us as we discuss the future of optical networks and where we go next.

Speakers

• Tim Doiron, VP, Solution Marketing, Infinera, USA
• Julia  Larikova, VP, Product Management, Infinera, USA

Presented By

Enjoy food and drinks with your friends and colleagues during the conference reception. Tickets for this event are included with all full conference registrations. Additional tickets may be purchased at Registration for US 85.

Pack your running shoes and meet up for an early morning, 3 mile run or walk with fellow OFC colleagues. Can't make it in person? No problem, join us virtually! Take a selfie, tag #OFC24 and #werunOFC and share it with the rest of the OFC X community @OFCConference.

Employers and job seekers can connect in person during the conference at the OFC Career Zone.

Open XR Optics Forum

Representatives of the Open XR Optics Forum will provide an update on the activity of the MSA. This will include published specifications and specification roadmap, applications and proof of concepts.

Speakers

• Oscar Gonzales de Dios, Expert, Global CTIO, Telefonica, Spain
• David Hillerkuss, Director, Open XR Optics Forum, USA
• Andrew Lord, Senior Manager of Optical Research, FIEEE and BT Fellow, BT, UnitedKingdom
• Venk Mutalik, Comcast Fellow, Comcast, USA
• Dave Welch, Chief Innovation Officer, Infinera, USA

Presented By

Please join the Chair and office bearers of the IEEE Communications Society,  Optical Networking Technical Committee (ONTC), as we welcome new and established members to the first meeting of the year.  The event is open to anyone who has an interest in the area of optical networking technologies.  Come and join us for a light lunch meeting followed by an informal meet-and-greet with IEEE ComSoc volunteer leaders.  We especially welcome Early Career Professionals and students to the event.  

Journal publications play a critical role in our industry. They serve as repositories where new results, ideas, and demonstrations are reported, providing a permanent resource for others in their research and design endeavors. This event offers a unique behind-the-scenes look into the journal publications process, allowing attendees to pose questions and interact with Editors and Reviewers from some of the highest-impact factor journals in optical communications and networking. The focus will be on understanding what happens once a new research paper is submitted to an IEEE or Optica journal.

The event will feature informative presentations and roundtable discussions hosted by individuals intimately involved in the review and publication process, eager to answer questions and engage with the audience. Importantly, for those interested in further insights, the event will guide participants in becoming involved in the review process for the most prestigious journal publications in the field of optical telecommunications.

A roundtable discussion with Editors from JLT, PTL, and JOCN will follow the presentations.

Boxed lunches will be provided. RSVP to secure your spot here!
 

Organizers

Andrew Lord, Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Optical Communications and Networking, Sr. Manager of Optical Networks Research, BT, UK
Boon S. Ooi, Editor-in-Chief, IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, KAUST, Saudi Arabia
Sorin Tibuleac, Journal of Lightwave Technology (JLT) Associate Editor, Director, Adtran, USA

Speakers

• Gabriella Bosco, Editor-in-Chief, IEEE Journal of Lightwave Technology, Italy
• Xi (Vivian) Chen, Distinguished Member of the Technical Staff, Nokia Bell Labs, USA
• Kelly Cohen, Senior Publisher, Optica Publishing Group, USA
• Nicolas Fontaine, Department Head of Silicon Photonics, Nokia Bell Labs, USA
• Ognjen Jovanovic, Senior Engineer, Adtran, Germany
• Andrew Lord, Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Optical Communications and Networking, UnitedKingdom
• Boon S. Ooi, Editor-in-Chief, IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, USA

Join the event

You are invited to join the Optica Technical Group on Fiber Optics Technology and Applications for a panel discussion during lunch on Wednesday. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from our featured panelists, including Robert Woodward (Toshiba), Gregoire Ribordy (ID Quantique) and Rui Wang (University of Bristol), as they discuss recent developments and opportunities of quantum communications.

Please RSVP for this technical group event at bit.ly/OFCQuantumPanel to let us know you will be attending.

Join Optica Publishing Group's journal editors for an informal discussion over cookies! Bring your questions about understanding acceptance criteria, responding to reviewers, becoming a reviewer, and more. The editors welcome your queries, concerns, and ideas for any of our journals.

All OFC attendees are welcome! 

ATOP Technology

This presentation navigates the challenges and opportunities of transitioning to 200G per lane data transmission. It explores ATOP's proactive role in developing and planning 200G per lane silicon photonics products while analyzing how over-frequency ADP IC achieves higher data rates at reduced latency, power consumption, and cost, specifically for AI applications.
 

Speaker

• Dr. Toshi K. Uchida, Chief Scientist of ATOP Corporation, USA

Presented By

Optics for AI Compute Era: Opportunities and Potential Disruptions

Generative AI is gaining market momentum while AI Compute drives accelerated high bandwidth optical connectivity upgrades. On one hand, conventional pluggable optics suppliers are gaining huge boost from recent AI compute data center build-out by hyper data center operators; on the other hand, the accelerated AI compute is also driving potential disruption with architectures requiring high bandwidth density optical solutions integration deeper into compute and memory nodes with new technology like co-packaged optics. In this workshop, we will have invited speakers to discuss their view of AI-driven opportunities and potential disruptions to the optical industry, with representatives from AI data center operators, incumbent major optical suppliers, and new start-up companies focusing on disruptive solutions for AI.

All are welcome to hear a select panel of industry experts present and answer questions on this year’s hot topic. Networking dinner offsite will follow the event. 

Please RSVP for this event here to let us know you will be attending.

Partners: Optica, China International Optoelectronic Expo (CIOE) and Infostone

Speakers

• Dr. Benjamin Lee, Sr. Research Scientist, Nvidia, USA
  Challenges and Opportunities for Optics in Future Accelerated Computing Systems
• Dr. Karen Liu, Product Manager, Nubis, USA
  Optical Communications 5.0
• Maurice Steinman, SVP & GM US, Lightelligence, USA
  Breaking the Memory Wall with Photonics Technology Solutions
• Dr. Mark Wade, CEO, Ayar Labs, USA
  AI Infrastructure Needs Optical I/O
• Dr. Chongjin Xie, Sr. Dir and Chief Communication Scientist, Alibaba, USA
  Networks and Optics for AI Computing
• Dr. Wupen Yuen, President, Cloud and Networking, Lumentum, USA
  Leading the Photonics Frontier: Accelerating AI Data Centers with Next-Generation Optical Connectivity

Employers and job seekers can connect in person during the conference at the OFC Career Zone.