Dr. Peter J. Winzer Honored for Advancements in Fiber Optic Technology
The Optical Society (OSA) and the IEEE Photonics Society today announced that Peter J. Winzer of Nokia Bell Labs, USA, is the recipient of the 2018 John Tyndall Award. The award, one of the top honors in the fiber optics community, will be presented at the Optical Fiber Communication Conference and Exhibition (OFC), which will be held March 11 – 15, 2018 in San Diego, CA.
Winzer received his Ph.D. from the Vienna University of Technology, where he worked on space-borne LiDAR and laser communications for the European Space Agency. He has worked at Nokia Bell Labs since 2000, where he has focused on many aspects of fiber-optic communications, including advanced optical modulation, multiplexing, and detection. He has contributed to several high-speed optical transmission records from 100 Gb/s to 1 Tb/s and has been widely promoting spatial multiplexing to overcome the optical networks capacity crunch.
“Peter Winzer has devoted his career to expanding the field of optical communication systems. He has attained several commendable high-speed optical transmission records,” said Liz Rogan, CEO, The Optical Society. “His significant advancements involving modulation formats and spatial multiplexing are unmatched; he is a true pioneer of his field. We are extremely grateful for Peter’s continued dedication and passion for advancing the way we communicate.”
Winzer is actively involved with the IEEE Photonics Society and The Optical Society, and currently serves as the current Editor-in-Chief of the IEEE/OSA Journal of Lightwave Technology. He also served as Program Chair of ECOC 2009 and Program/General Chair of OFC 2015/17. Winzer is a highly-cited researcher, a Bell Labs Fellow, a Fellow of the IEEE and The Optical Society, and an elected Member of the US National Academy of Engineering.
The John Tyndall Award is named for the 19th century scientist who was the first to demonstrate the phenomenon of total internal reflection. First presented in 1987, the Tyndall Award recognizes an individual who has made pioneering, highly significant, or continuing technical or leadership contributions to fiber optic technology. Corning, Inc. endows the award, a prize check and a glass sculpture that represents the concept of total internal reflection. The award is co-sponsored by The Optical Society and the IEEE Photonics Society.
Related News
From Archive
- OSHA issues 16 citations following fatal sewer confined space incident
- 27 pipeline safety violations tied to deadly Pa. chocolate factory explosion
- Contractor gas line strike triggers home explosion in Missouri
- LA recovery reports call for $650 million power line burial, major utility upgrades in Pacific Palisades
- Comprehensive microtrenching FAQ: Key insights on the Vermeer MTR516 microtrencher
- T-Mobile to expand fiber broadband infrastructure footprint with $4.9 billion Metronet acquisition
- First tunnel boring machines complete testing for Hudson Tunnel Project
- NWPX grows water infrastructure portfolio with Colorado precast facility
- Cityside launches $100 million fiber build in Corona, Calif.
- FiberLight to build 1,400-mile West Texas dark fiber network in $350 million expansion

Comments