julie rollin
According to Mordor Intelligence, the submarine fiber optic cable market is expected to reach USD 4.78 billion this year and reach USD 8.06 billion by 2029. Driven by the ever-increasing demand for bandwidth, submarine fiber optic cables have become a major research target for delivery. Low-latency, high-capacity communications infrastructure and advances in the field continue to create opportunities for early career professionals, especially those with photonics backgrounds.
Expand your understanding of the underwater world
From September 3rd to 5th, my colleagues from the Optica/SPIE student branch at Tyndall National Laboratory and University College Cork in Cork, Ireland, and I held a fiber optic communications workshop. This workshop focused on the evolution and current challenges of submarine communications. and a growing field.
In 2022, I attended the Undersea Fiber Optic Communications Summer School hosted by Optica Foundation and Google in Sweden. That was my only experience with subsea technology, but it was very interesting and made me want to consider working in the subsea field someday.
Since I was interested in deepening my knowledge on this topic, I needed to share more information with others. My hope was to recreate the summer school experience for my colleagues and continue to meet with area speakers.
Explore career possibilities
Participants in the fiber optic communications workshop.
I think there are many people who have almost completed their Ph.D. program is about finding a career path. The workshop was a great opportunity to learn about the subsea as a career option, hear from speakers about their careers and companies, and explore potential opportunities in this field.
Of course, everyone wants to get a job when graduation approaches or has just finished. It was therefore fitting that one of the highlights of the event turned out to be the career “speed dating” element of the workshop. Each presenter moved from table to table answering questions and offering advice on first steps in the industry. Through this interactive session, we had our questions answered and learned first-hand how subsea leaders navigate their career paths.
“I was impressed by the enthusiasm and knowledge of this group,” said presenter Sandra Delaney, General Counsel at Aquacoms. “From a strong background in optical science to a genuine interest in subsea technology, we found that many of our workshop participants were pursuing a path into subsea fiber. I enjoyed the opportunity to raise awareness about how we are working to solve these challenges and how they can be part of the solution.”
Deepen your knowledge of the ocean floor
From Mr. Delaney’s talk on the global issues surrounding submarine fiber deployment to a presentation by Infinera’s Director of Solutions and Technology, Jeff Bennett, on the intersection of artificial intelligence and submarine cables, the sessions captivated attendees’ interests. As a result, I deepened my knowledge about submarine cables. We explain not only how the subsea industry is evolving, but also how it is becoming an increasingly necessary part of meeting bandwidth demands.
“Infinera is thrilled to support this program,” Bennett summed up. “To realize our future vision, the subsea industry needs more early career professionals with a background in optics as well as a wide range of skills in engineering, legal and project management. We need emerging leaders who are passionate about finding solutions and exploring ways to continue to deploy submarine cable networks globally.”
Mr. Laurin (right) participated in a fiber optic communications workshop.
The Optica Foundation supported this event through a special program grant. The Optica Foundation leverages these resources, from helping identify potential career trajectories undersea, to providing support to other chapters running similar programs on a wide range of themes, to advancing global advocacy efforts. and supports young professionals and students in this field. Other chapters are recommended to provide ideas for the basics. These will be a great help in exploring the possibilities of optics and photonics.
“Supporting students and early-career professionals by sharing more about possible paths in optics is critical to the Optica Foundation’s mission,” said Consulting Engineer and Director of the Optica Foundation Board of Directors. said Valey Kamalov. “I hope that some of the participants were able to take in and share their learnings as much as Julie and the organizers have designed this program. Personally, my passion for underwater technology I love seeing it passed on to the next generation.”
As subsea fiber consolidates as an infrastructure focus, the industry will continue to explore this topic and new technologies will emerge. I’m looking forward to seeing where this workshop goes, and I hope it inspires the same kind of curiosity in the participants. Now is the time for students and early-career professionals to consider how this field fits into their professional journey. For those who want to jump in and explore with me, the possibilities await.
For more information about the student and early career schools and programs supported by the Optica Foundation, visit optica.org/Foundation.
Julie Raulin of Tyndall National Laboratory in Ireland is an Optica Foundation 2024 Corning Women Scholar and Subsea School participant. She and her chapter hosted an event aimed at sharing the possibilities of a career under the sea with the larger community.
