Professor Michael Withford

CEO and Co-Founder, Modular Photonics

I am passionate about developing and delivering real world solutions, benefiting society, that capitalize on new innovations in micro-photonics. My co-founders and I formed Modular Photonics to do just that, manufacturing a range of passive end-of-optical fiber components that enable next generation high speed (100’s Tb/s) optical fiber networks and future proof legacy premise networks. Our products are nationally and internationally recognized as best in class, winning a 2018 iAward, a 2018 Sydney Engineering Excellence Award, a 2019 SPIE and Photonics Media PRISM Award, and a 2019 Lightwave Innovation High Score Recipient Award. Our successes include enhancing interactive learning in high schools, boosting data flow around sports complexes, shopping malls, hospitals and mines, extending the operational life of data centres.

I have over 20 years of expertise in integrated photonics, optical fiber sensors and laser microfabrication.

I am the Optofab Node Director for the Australian National Fabrication Facility (www.anff.org.au) delivering a suite of micro-components, fiber sensors and photonic devices to pharma, biomedical, urban utilities and other markets.

I hold several patents and have published over 160 journal papers and several hundred conference papers.