What are your interests and hobbies? How would you describe yourself informally?
“I’d say I’m someone who enjoys the finer details. Late at night, you might find me meticulously adjusting colors on graphs, or contemplating the best way to present data. I’m also drawn to art and design, and I love exploring my surroundings, especially by bicycle. I run as well – mostly to socialize and support my mental health. And besides all that, I follow tennis closely and try to play whenever I can!”
Can you briefly describe your research topic?
“My research focused on the implementation of an all-optical activation function for optical neural networks. Optical neural networks are gaining attention for their potential in low-energy computing. One major challenge in optical computing is finding optical equivalents for integral electronic components. In my work, I explored an optical activation function based on the bistability effect, which can occur in Fabry-Pérot laser diodes when they are subjected to an external optical input signal in pulsed mode.”
How did you learn about ORCA-Lab, and what motivated you to pursue your topic with us?
“I knew about the Optical Communications Lab early in my studies, and working here felt like an ideal final chapter. I’d gained some experimental experience through other internships, which showed me how much I enjoy the lab environment. The opportunity to work with professors and assistants who had guided me through the classroom felt invaluable. The lab work was intense, by our own choice, but it’s rare to have this level of involvement during undergraduate studies. It’s an experience I couldn’t pass up.”
What impact did lab work have on your final project? How would you assess the success of your research, and how long did you work on it?
“The lab was integral to my project. The findings I presented came after months of discussions and testing, and I’m very happy with the results. Not only did we show the consistency between experimental and numerical trends, but we also explored boundary cases and even tested a dual injection configuration, which hasn’t been documented in the literature for generating nonlinearity. This advanced model offers improved efficiency and enables new forms of nonlinear activation functions that can be applied to specific network training needs.”
Can you describe the influence of lab work on your professional development? How did it complement the theoretical foundation from your studies?
“The research topics we tackled in the lab brought classroom knowledge into real-world application, especially in fields that are crucial in today’s scientific discussions. Transitioning from theory to hands-on work was thrilling – studying specialized literature and finally handling devices that I’d only known in theory. Disconnecting and reconnecting components is an experience that builds true engineering skill. Lab work helped me see my strengths and weaknesses, informed my future plans, and provided invaluable experience.”
Would you recommend working in the Optical Communications Lab to other students? What should they expect from lab work?
“Absolutely! Working in the Optical Communications Lab has been incredibly rewarding. The ORCA-Lab team members are incredibly knowledgeable and have a deep dedication that’s incredibly motivating. Of course, like any lab work, there are ups and downs, so you need to be prepared for both.”
What’s your message for future students?
“I’d like to build on my previous answer about the ups and downs in lab work. Alongside significant findings, you’ll also learn how to overcome setbacks – like when you accidentally delete a folder with days of (imperfect) measurements! No matter how confident you are in your data, there will be times it’s incorrect. You’ll delete it, go back to the lab, and try again. And in the end, you’ll succeed and become a better researcher for it. I also encourage future students to keep detailed notes on every experimental step, not just to avoid accidental deletion, but for the completeness of their research.”
Is there anything you’d like to add that we didn’t ask?
“I just want to say a huge thank you for this opportunity to share our stories and for the patience to complete this interview. Contributions like this are incredibly meaningful to us as students, even if writing about ourselves feels a bit uncomfortable. Thank you again for giving us this space to reflect and share!”
Thank you, Mila!