Abstract: Many of today’s most transformative technologies are converging around a triangle of information, energy, and design. At the center of this convergence are breakthroughs in optical materials and photonics, enabling new paradigms in computing, sensing, and human–machine interaction. Yet their full potential depends on our ability to deliver precision at scale—turning scientific advances into manufacturable solutions that meet global performance and cost targets.

Industrializing these innovations requires more than technical breakthroughs; it demands scalable processes, ecosystem collaboration, and disciplined execution without stifling creativity. This talk will explore the challenges and opportunities of achieving precision at scale, drawing lessons from past successes and failures. It will highlight how partnerships between industrial research labs and academia can accelerate the translation of scientific advances into solutions that reshape entire industries.

Bio: Claudio Mazzali is Vice President of Global Research at Corning Incorporated, where he leads early-stage innovation efforts across all of Corning’s businesses—including display technologies, optical communications, mobile consumer electronics, automotive, life sciences, and solar. With a career deeply rooted in optical communications and photonics, Claudio joined Corning in 1999 and has since held a range of leadership roles spanning research, strategic alliances, product line management, and new business development.

Claudio holds a Ph.D. in Physics from the Gleb Wataghin Physics Institute at Unicamp, Brazil. He was named a Fellow of Optica (formerly OSA) in 2020, recognized for his leadership in the development of optical fiber, cable, and connectivity technologies. He is also a member of the American Physical Society, and served as Chair of the Optica Industry Development Associates Council (2018–2019).