David Hillerkuss
03 March 2026
Events
David Hillerkuss
Nokia
About the Speaker
Dr. David Hillerkuss is a prominent expert in optical networking and communications technology, currently serving as a key innovator within Nokia. His work focuses on developing modern, efficient network infrastructures to support the "AI Era".
Professional Roles & Affiliations
- Nokia: Following the planned acquisition of Infinera by Nokia, Hillerkuss is an integral part of the combined optical networking leadership.
- Infinera: He previously held significant roles at Infinera, where he moderated industry-shaping webinars and drove standards for optical networks.
- Industry Leadership: He is a frequent moderator and speaker for Optica (formerly OSA) webinar series, such as "Optical Networks toward 2030" (ON2030), focusing on high-speed optics like 1.6T ZR/ZR+.
- Academic Background: He earned his doctorate at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), where he specialized in high-capacity optical transmission systems.
Key Contributions & Awards
- World Record Transmission: He was part of the team that achieved a 32.5 Tbit/s Nyquist WDM transmission using a single laser, a milestone in spectral efficiency.
- IOWN Global Forum Contributor Award: Recognized in May 2025 for his work on energy efficiency and sustainability in technology working groups.
- Charles Kao Award (2015): Received the IEEE Communications Society award for the Best Optical Communications & Networking Paper.
- Research Areas: His extensive publication record covers OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing), silicon modulators, and CV-QKD (Continuous-Variable Quantum Key Distribution).
