Bridging academia and industry by building lasers

A visit at TRUMPF Scientific Lasers

Busy week for our IMPRS-APS students! After learning about the work of a consultant on Wednesday, our students had the unique opportunity to visit TRUMPF Scientific Lasers yesterday. The company specializes in ultrafast lasers with high average power and high pulse energy.

Tom Metzger, the managing director of TRUMPF Scientific Lasers hosted our students, providing them with comprehensive insights into the company. During his time in Ferenc Krausz’s research group at TU Wien and the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics, Metzger developed ultrafast thin-disk amplifiers, which eventually led to the founding of TRUMPF Scientific Lasers.

During their visit, the students got a behind-the-scenes look at the clean room laboratories, where they observed laser systems being built. They also had meaningful discussions with employees about their work and experiences.

A particularly interesting aspect for our doctoral candidates was the comparison between industry work and academic research. They learned that while lab work at TRUMPF Scientific Lasers shares similarities with PhD research, there are key differences. For instance, there is an increased focus on reliability for lasers intended for clients, which necessitates enhanced communication and a more structured working style. 

The visit was part of a series organized our coordinator Lena Beggel, aimed at exposing doctoral candidates to potential careers beyond academia. With more exciting events in the pipeline, we can’t wait to continue helping our students explore diverse career pathways!

A big thank you to Tom Metzger and the whole team at TRUMPF Scientific Lasers for these valuable insights into the transition from research to industry! 

Photos: Nina Beier