Photonics Horizons: the Future of AI, Computing, and Connectivity

PSC Annual Conference and Workshop

Photonics Society Of Chinese Heritage (PSC)

中華光電學會

Workshop description

As AI infrastructure evolves, the demand for optical connectivity is accelerating at an unprecedented pace. With each new GPU/accelerator generation, optical interconnect bandwidth is expected to double, pushing the industry toward terabit-per-lane optics within the next five years. This rapid scaling presents immense challenges in bandwidth density, power efficiency, and cost. At the same time, photonics is expanding beyond high-bandwidth optical interconnects, driving innovations in novel photonic architectures for AI acceleration and network switching. This workshop will highlight both the significant challenges and the most promising advancements in photonics technology. Join industry leaders and researchers as we envision the next decade of photonic innovation and its transformative impact on AI, high-performance computing, and global connectivity.

PSC Opening remarks (5 min)

Partner remarks (10 min)

PSC Tingye Li Memorial Scholarship Announcement (15 min)

Panel Presentation (60 min)

Dr. M. Ashkan Seyedi, NVIDIA
Dr. Nan Ge, Meta
Dr. Hong Hou, Semtech
Dr. Lee Ligeng Xu, Coherent
Dr. Edward Preisler,Tower Semiconductor
Subu Subrahmanyan, Verition Fund Management

Panel Discussion (30 min)

Panel Speakers

Dr. M. Ashkan Seyedi

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Director, LinkX Products, NVIDIA

As the Director of Silicon Photonics Products at NVIDIA, Ashkan Seyedi is at the vanguard of merging photonics with cutting-edge computing architectures, particularly in the spheres of generative AI and machine learning. Seyedi holds a Ph.D. from the University of Southern California, where he conducted groundbreaking research in nanowire photodetectors, solar cells, and LEDs, contributing significantly to the field of photonics. His early career also includes a stint as a Testing Intern at Intel Labs, where he worked on silicon modulators and integrated III-V lasers, achieving milestones in high-speed optical communications.

Dr. Nan Ge

"Evolving Optics Selection Criteria for AI-Centric Hyperscale Data Centers"

Technical Sourcing Manager, Meta

Nan Ge is a Technical Sourcing Manager at Meta, specializing in network systems and interconnects for large-scale data center infrastructure. With over a decade of experience in strategic sourcing and hardware design, Nan has driven advancements in high-performance network and interconnect solutions at Meta, Microsoft, and Dell. He holds an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University and a Ph.D. in Electromechanical Engineering. As an inventor with 5 patents and over 20 publications, Nan also successfully bridged multidisciplinary innovations into industrial applications early in his career across compute, power, and microbial technologies at various research institutes and startups.

Dr. Hong Hou

"High Bandwidth AI Connectivity with Copper and Fiber Optic Solutions"

President, CEO & Board Member, Semtech Corporation

Dr. Hou has served as president and chief executive officer of the Company since June 2024 and as a member of the Semtech Board of Directors since July 2023. Dr. Hou is an accomplished multinational technology executive, recognized as a global enterprise leader with a strong technical and business transformation record in dynamic ultra-competitive markets. Dr. Hou holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of California at San Diego and also has completed executive management courses at Stanford Business School.

Dr. Lee Ligeng Xu

"Views of the CPO technology and market from a pluggable transceiver provider"

EVP and GM of Datacenter Business Group, Coherent Corp.

Lee Xu is currently the Executive Vice President, Datacenter Business Group of Coherent Corporation. Dr. Xu joined Finisar (a company acquired by II-VI/Coherent in 2019) in 2008 and had been in various R&D, manufacturing, and general management roles, including General Manager of Finisar China and General Manager of Transceivers Business unit, based in California. From 1996 to 2008, Dr. Xu worked as a fiber-optic transceiver R&D engineer, manager, and director for various companies in Silicon Valley such as Hewlett-Packard, Tyco Electronics, and Intel. He co-founded the startup company Paracer in 2000, focusing on high-density optical interconnects. Paracer was acquired in 2002 by Stratos Lightwave. Dr. Xu holds a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Tsinghua University and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from Princeton University. He holds 15 U.S. patents and has published more than 10 technical papers.

Dr. Edward Preisler

"Silicon Photonics Processing in a Commercial Silicon Fab: Where We Are and Where We Are Going"

Vice President and Co General Manager of RF Business Unit, Tower Semiconductor

Dr. Preisler was appointed Vice President and Co General Manager of RF Business Unit in 2023 following his previous role as Director of Technology Development, RF & HPA. Dr. Preisler has been involved with SiGe BiCMOS development since joining Tower Semiconductor in 2004 and has held the title of Director of Technology Development since 2012. He has served on the committees of the IEEE RFIC and BCTM conferences and as a member of the ITRS wireless roadmap bipolar device committee. Dr. Preisler received a B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from U.C. San Diego and a Ph.D. in Applied Physics from Caltech in 2003 with a thesis that focused on antimonide semiconductors for optoelectronics. After graduating he served as a post-doctoral researcher at the IBM T.J. Watson research lab working on crystalline oxides and high-K gate dielectrics. He has authored or co-authored 32 papers in the field of compound and column IV alloy semiconductor processing and device development, and two book chapters on bipolar device physics and processing.

Subu Subrahmanyan

"AI Implications for Photonics – An Investor's Lens"

Portfolio Manager, Verition Fund Management

Natarajan ‘Subu’ Subrahmanyan, CFA is a TMT Portfolio Manager at Verition Fund Management. Subu has over 20 years of buyside and sellside experience in the technology sector and has been at Verition since 2022. Prior to joining Verition, Subu spent 7 years at AO Asset Management covering the semiconductors, hardware and security sectors. He also spent over a decade on the sellside at various firms including Goldman Sachs and The Juda Group. Subu has been featured on the Wall Street Journal’s Best of the Street Analyst List, and ranked in the Institutional Investor polls. He holds an MBA from Vanderbilt University and a B.S in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Anna University in India.

PSC Dinner Gathering

Photonics Society of Chinese Heritage (PSC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promote friendships and collaborations among Chinese American engineers and scientists in the field of photonics so that they can enhance their professional and business contributions for better quality of life in this fast changing world.