Eric Mottay

Profile

Eric Mottay graduated from Institut d'Optique in Orsay, France, and began his career in ultrafast laser development as femtosecond technologies were leaving research laboratories for the first time.

In 2001, starting from a university basement and an initial scientific proof of concept, he co-founded Amplitude in Bordeaux. He led its development into a global leader in ultrafast lasers for science and industry.

Mottay has authored more than 250 scientific publications and holds 15 patents. He has been an active contributor to Optica conferences and committees for many years. He is a Senior Member of Optica and has served as General Chair of CLEO.

He is currently president of h-nu, where he explores the intersection of artificial intelligence and laser material processing, with a continued focus on engineering-driven innovation.

Election Statement

Optica has been part of my professional life for decades. From my first publications to conference leadership roles, the Society has been a constant reference point, through its journals, its meetings and its community. I have always felt at home in the photonics community: serious about the science, open and collaborative.

My career has developed at the frontier between academia and industry. I have experienced firsthand how turning results from a university laboratory into robust industrial technologies is a challenging task. It requires rigorous engineering and close, long-term collaboration with scientific teams.

If elected, I would focus on three priorities:

1. Optica supports the full chain of innovation, from fundamental science to industrial applications. I would work to create more opportunities for academic researchers, startups, established companies  and end users to connect within Optica.
2. Photonics now underpins AI, advanced manufacturing and emerging quantum technologies. Behind every result in these fields, there is remarkable engineering. I would advocate for continued visibility of engineering culture within Optica's conferences, publications and educational programs.
3. Over the past decades, I have built research collaborations and industrial partnerships across Europe and the United States. I would bring this experience and these relationships to support Optica's engagement with major research institutions, technology centers and industrial communities worldwide.

Serving on the Board would be an opportunity to contribute to a Society that has shaped my professional path, with an engineering and entrepreneurial perspective that I believe is valuable to Optica today.