TUE photonics figurehead Ton Backx retires

Earlier this month, Eindhoven University of Technology professor Ton Backx announced his retirement. Backx has been affiliated with TUE’s department of electrical engineering since the 90s. Over the last decade, he became one of the university’s photonics figureheads.

After obtaining a PhD in model-based process control from TUE, Backx started at the university as a part-time professor in the same field. In 2006, he became the dean of the electrical engineering department. He held that position for ten years. The department was dealing with several problems, such as financial issues and low student numbers. During Backx’s time as dean, the inflow grew to three hundred first-years.

Backx also became closely involved in photonics developments. He founded the Institute for Photonic Integration and acted as the CEO of the Photondelta network, consisting of researchers, chip designers, foundries and software developers.