Colloquium 09-09-17

 

3:30 p.m. in Room 307 of the Optical Sciences Meinel Building

Speaker:

Bahram Jalali

University of California Los Angeles

Title:

Real-Time Measurements, Rogue Events and Photon Economics

 

Host:

Nasser Peyghambarian

 

Abstract:

 

Rogue events otherwise known as Outliers or Black Swans are singular and rare events that have dramatic impact. They appear in seemingly unconnected systems in the form of oceanic rogue waves, stock market crashes, gene mutations, and in as spontaneous errors in communication systems. Attempts to understand the underlying dynamics of complex systems that lead to such spectacular and often cataclysmic outcome have been frustrated by insufficient statistical data due to scarcity of such events, and also by our inability to perform experiments under controlled conditions. In this talk we show that nonlinear optical systems also harbor extreme events and provide a test bench for unveiling their mystery and for developing models that can help us characterize risk and volatility associated with rogue events. The key to realizing this vision is real-time ultrafast measurements that can capture singular and randomly occurring events. Fortuitously, the Photonic Time Stretch technology is providing a powerful and nearly-ideal tool box for reaching this difficult yet high payoff goal. We show two examples in nonlinear optics where the ability to capture extreme events has led to understanding their underlying dynamics which in turn has made it possible to control them and to harness their potential.
Bio:

Bahram Jalali joined the Electrical Engineering Department at UCLA in 1993 after 4 years at AT&T Bell Laboratories. He a Fellow of IEEE and of the Optical Society of America and recipient of the R.W. Wood Prize from Optical Society of America for the invention and demonstration of the Silicon Raman Laser. In 2005 he was elected into the Scientific American Top 50, and received the BrideGate 20 Award in 2001 for his entrepreneurial accomplishments.  He served as a consultant to Intel Corporation from 201-2003. Dr. Jalali serves on the Board of Trustees of the California Science Center. He has published over 350 journal and conference papers and 7 patents. He lives in Brentwood with his wife and 3 children and is an avid sailor.