DUDLEY, John M.

Steering Committee Chair, International Year of Light 2015

Past-President, European Physical Society

Originally from South Auckland in New Zealand, John Dudley received B.Sc and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Auckland in 1987 and 1992 respectively. In 1992 and 1993, he carried out postdoctoral research at the University of St Andrews in Scotland before taking a lecturing position in 1994 at the University of Auckland. Since 2000, he has been Professor at the University of Franche-Comte in Besancon, France, where he heads the Optoelectronics and Photonics research group that currently consists of around 12 permanent staff & 20 contractual staff and/or graduate students. His research interests cover broad themes in nonlinear and ultrafast optics, and he is currently co-laureate of a European Research Council Advanced Grant with Professor Frederic Dias of UCD Dublin, Ireland, to study the physics of extreme waves in optics and hydrodynamics. He has published over 500 contributions in journals & conference proceedings, and delivered over 120 invited talks at major conferences. He regularly speaks on topics including: his own research; current research trends in photonics; extreme events in nature; public outreach & education; career development.

He was nominated to the Institut Universitaire de France in 2005 and elected a Fellow of the Optical Society in 2007. In 2009, he was awarded the Grand Prix de l'Electronique Général Ferrié from the Société des Electriciens et Electroniciens. He was elected as Fellow of the IEEE in 2011 and as Fellow of the European Optical Society in 2012. In 2013, he was awarded the Médaille d'Argent of the national French research agency CNRS, in 2014, the SPIE President's Award and in 2015 the Robert E Hopkins Leadership Award of the Optical Society OSA. 

He served as the President of the European Physical Society for a two year term from April 2013-March 2015, and currently chairs the Steering Committee of the International Year of Light & Light-based Technologies 2015.

Specialties: Photonics; Nonlinear Physics; Ultrafast Optics; History of Science; Research Administration; Public Speaking.

ABSTRACT

14:30-16:00 6 NOVEMBER
thematic SESSION Ii.C: international year of light

The International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies 2015 is drawing global attention to the many ways in which light influences our lives, and how applications of light science through the field of photonics can solve problems of global importance. The International Year has already been a great success, with thousands of activities in over a hundred countries reaching millions of people worldwide. This presentation will provide an overview of the aims and activities of the year and will showcase a selection of events and initiatives that have taken place around the world. It will also provide a short introduction to the other topics that will be presented in the session.