Career Accelerator (North America)
Events
Career Accelerator (North America)
3 - 7 May, 2026 | Washington, DC, USA
Understand core skills and expectations in the corporate environment
To compete and succeed in the optics and photonics field today, students and early career professionals need to develop skills inside and outside the lab to understand how to utilize their expertise in this ever-growing and changing sector.
Career Accelerators seek to fill the training and education gap by focusing on career paths and the professional and personal skills needed for success. Our goal with this program is to acquaint students with the corporate world's culture, language, and methodology as they plan their transition from academia to industry.
Hear from our Speakers and Attendees
Topics
- Leadership development
- Team building and group dynamics
- Business strategy
- Innovation & product development
- Budgeting & financial management
- Management & decision-making
- Marketing & branding
- Effective communication
- Negotiating
- Project management
Speakers
Tom Hausken
Senior Science Advisor, Optica, USA
Facilitator
George Bayz
Retired Vice President & General Manager, Synopsys, USA
The Language of Business: Managerial Reporting and Accounting for Decision Making
Gisele Bennett
Co-Founder, MEPSS, LLC, USA
From Research to Real World Impact: An Entrepreneur’s Journey Through Innovation and Startups
Cory Boone
Technical Content Strategist, Zygo, USA
Scientific Communication: From Career Advancement to Educational Outreach
Simin Cai
President and CEO, Go!Foton, USA
Beyond Equations: The Roadmap to Business Success for STEM Professionals
Rebecca Charboneau
Technology Development Engineer, Edmund Optics, USA
The Role of the Product Manager
Christopher R. DeVany
Founder & President, Pinnacle Performance Improvement Worldwide
Completing Your Projects On Time And On Budget for Engineering, R&D, and Technology Teams
Keeley Hurley
Chief of Staff, Applied Energetics Inc, USA
What is Corporate Strategy and Why is it Important?
Jessica Kibblewhite
Senior Manager of Global Development, Thorlabs, USA
Working Better Together: Building Inclusive, High-Performing Teams in STEM Workplaces
Grace Lee
Chief People Officer, Coherent Corp, USA
From Resume Review to Final Offer Understanding HR Hiring and Negotiation
Rob Markovic
VP Global Talent Acquisition and People Operations, Coherent Corp., USA
From Resume Review to Final Offer Understanding HR Hiring and Negotiation
Christian Reimer
Co-Founder and Chief Architect, HyperLight Corp, USA
Career Reflections: Insights for Early Career Success in Industry
Matthew Weed
Vice President, Product, Luminar Technologies, USA
Innovation and Product Development
Adam R. Weeks
Senior Managing Counsel, Corning, USA
Patents and Intellectual Property 101
Heidi Westbrook
Sr. Client Executive, 1Finity, a Fujitsu company, USA
The Role of the Sales Professional in Photonics: Bridging Technology and Solutions
Christina Willis
Director of Government Affairs & Senior Optical Scientist, Infleqtion, USA
Sustainable Networking for Scientists and Engineers
Schedule
We have an engaging and informative program featuring thought leaders in optics and photonics.
The Career Accelerator begins on Sunday 03 May 2026 and concludes on Thursday 07 May 2026. To learn more about the topics and speakers featured each day, please click on the tabs below.
Sunday 03, May |
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16:00 |
Hotel Check-In |
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17:30- 19:30 |
Opening Reception and Icebreaker, Optica HQ 6th Floor |
Monday 04, May |
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08:00 – 09:00 |
Breakfast, Optica HQ |
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Programming |
Eberly Hall
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09:00 – 09:15
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Welcome Remarks
Mitchell Harjo Tom Hausken |
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09:15 – 11:00
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Sustainable Networking for Scientists and Engineers Christina Willis Sustainability applied to networking is about treating professional support and assistance like a resource and creating more of it than you take. This workshop introduces how to use sustainable networking to create mutually beneficial professional relationships and to set and accomplish career goals. Through individual and group activities, participants will walk away with personalized goals and a practical action plan for how to incorporate sustainable networking into their professional lives. |
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11:00 – 11:15 |
Break |
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11:15 – 12:15
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Completing Your Projects on Time and on Budget for Engineering, R&D, and Technology Teams Christopher R. DeVany Engineering, R&D, and technology teams are under constant pressure to deliver complex projects faster, smarter, and with tighter financial discipline—without compromising innovation, quality, or strategic impact. This practical 60-minute presentation will show attendees how to keep projects moving on schedule and on budget by improving planning, decision-making, cross-functional coordination, risk management, and accountability at every stage of execution. Participants will leave with actionable strategies they can apply immediately to reduce delays, control costs, strengthen team performance, and deliver results with greater confidence. |
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12:15 - 14:15 |
Lunch & WORKinOPTICS, Optica HQ WORKinOPTICS Career Center Resume & LinkedIn Reviews Join the WORKinOPTICS Career Center for 1:1 resume & LinkedIn reviews provided by Tell Them A Story Resume Writing Services. |
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14:15 - 15:15 |
From Resume Review to Final Offer: Understanding HR Hiring and Negotiation Grace Lee Inside HR and the Hiring: Get an insider's look at the hiring journey, from resume submission to the coveted job offer. Gain valuable insights on optimizing your resume for attention, acing interviews with do's and don'ts, and more. Explore the pivotal role HR plays in shaping corporate culture and providing valuable resources to staff. |
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15:15-15:30 |
Break |
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15:30 – 16:30 |
The Role of the Product Manager Rebecca Charboneau Dive into the multifaceted role of a Product Manager within the corporate structure. Explore the essential skills and attributes required, uncover exciting career prospects, and understand the pivotal role Product Managers play in driving innovation, collaborating with R&D, and bridging the gap between sales/marketing and customer needs. |
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| 16:30 - 17:30 | Daily Wrap-Up and Announcements |
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| 17:00 - 18:30 | Dinner, Optica HQ |
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| 18:30 - 21:30 |
Monuments by Moonlight Tour When the sun goes down, Washington Turns into a different city and Old Town Trolley Tours knows just the right way to show off the Capital City at night! Enjoy a night of moonlight merriment aboard Old Town Trolley Tours. Pickup Location: Optica HQ (P Street entrance, backside of the office) Drop-off Location: The Royal Sonesta Hotel |
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Wednesday 06, May |
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08:00 – 09:00 |
Breakfast, Optica HQ |
| Programming | Eberly Hall |
| 09:00 – 09:15 |
Introduction of the Day Tom Hausken |
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09:15 – 10:15 |
Working Better Together: Building Inclusive, High-Performing Teams in STEM Workplaces Jessica Kibblewhite Team success doesn’t happen by chance; it’s shaped by intentional communication, awareness of group dynamics, and a commitment to inclusion. In this session, Jessica Kibblewhite, Senior Manager of Global Development at Thorlabs, draws on her expertise in learning behaviors, professional coaching, and data-driven organizational change to help early-career professionals understand what makes teams thrive. |
| 10:15 – 11:15 |
Innovation and Product Development Matthew Weed Understanding "value proposition" may seem simple, but continual focus on this empathetic idea is essential to successful research and products alike. From fundamental research through customer deployment, join in this exploration of how to identify pain points, enablers, and disruptors, as well as how to position each to generate market pull. |
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11:15 – 11:45 |
Break |
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11:45 – 12:45 |
Scientific Communication: From Career Advancement to Educational Outreach |
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12:45 – 14:15 |
Lunch & WORKinOPTICS, Optica HQ WORKinOPTICS Career Center Resume & LinkedIn Reviews Join the WORKinOPTICS Career Center for 1:1 resume & LinkedIn reviews provided by Tell Them A Story Resume Writing Services. |
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14:15 – 15:15 |
Beyond Equations: The Roadmap to Business Success for STEM Professionals Simin Cai
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15:15 – 16:15 |
Career Reflections: Insights for Early Career Success in Industry Christian Reimer |
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16:15 – 16:30 |
Closing Remarks Mitchell Harjo Tom Hausken |
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16:30 – 18:00 |
Break |
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18:00 – 20:00 |
Closing Reception, Optica HQ 6th Floor |
Thursday 07, May
| 08:00 – 11:00 | Hotel Check-Out |
