From Industry to Academia and the Future of Photonics
In an exciting development for 2024, our colleague Dr. Birte Seffert embarks on a nationwide tour to meet with the Klaus Tschira Boost Fund Fellows across Germany. The Keeping Up with the Boost Fellows series aims to shine a spotlight on the journeys, challenges, and achievements of our Fellows.
Trying to make the best use of her time, Dr. Birte Seffert tries to combine visiting several KT Boost Fellows linking one train ride to another. Her longest trip led her to visit current fellows in Jena, Erlangen, Munich and Seewiesen in Bavaria.
This is the first part of her soon to be completed travel journey, where she met with Dr. Bennet Fischer at the Leibniz Institute for Photonic Technology in Jena, a scientific hub in the East of Germany. Bennet´s KT Boost-funded research follows the question, if and how the energy we use for digital image processing could be drastically reduced. He is part of a group working on innovative solutions to this challenge.
What’s Bennet’s research about?
Bennet’s research combines meta-structures—fiber-based designs with features smaller than the wavelength of light—with innovative techniques like computer-aided inverse design and optical 3D printing. These structures can enable passive image processing within optical fibers, eliminating the need for energy-intensive digital processing. His work is advancing photonics , and led him to develop a toolbox that other researchers can use and adapt, making it a collaborative and forward-thinking project.
Bennet’s journey to academic research is just as inspiring as his work. As the first in his family to study at university, he began his career with an apprenticeship as an industrial mechanic before deciding to pursue a degree in engineering physics at a University of Applied Sciences (a so-called HAW).
HAWs are strongly practice-orientated. Bennet was educated to apply practical approaches to problem-solving, which serves him well in the lab and within his research group. After earning his PhD in Canada, Bennet returned to Germany and settled in Jena, where he secured both the Klaus Tschira Boost Fund and Marie Curie Fellowship.
Bennet’s advice for aspiring academics
1. Embrace practical skills: Bennet’s background as a mechanic taught him how to approach complex problems from a hands-on perspective—skills he can use in his postdoctoral research.
2. Stay open to serendipity: Many of Bennet’s career steps resulted from chance encounters with the right people. Networking and keeping an open mind are essential for success in academia.
3. Focus on creating tools, not just results: By developing a reusable toolbox, Bennet ensures that his work has a broader impact beyond his specific project.
4. Don’t fear unconventional paths: Coming from a University of Applied Sciences, Bennet notes that different academic routes can provide unique advantages, like strong practical problem-solving skills.
The KT Boost Fund is a joint program of GSO and the Klaus Tschira Foundation for postdoctoral researchers in the Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and Computer Science. It offers flexible funding for risky and interdisciplinary research on the way to academic independence. Funding can be used to hire staff, buy equipment, or build collaborations – tailored to the research project.
