Sarper Ozharar
Sarper Ozharar, now a researcher at NEC Laboratories America, USA, has a background in both academia and industry. And he says his work—including research on using optical fiber to gather data on cicadas—has greatly benefited from some unusual collaborations. OPN spoke with Ozharar about his transition from academia to industry, his approach to collaborations, and how he got involved with cicadas.
What inspired you to pursue your career path?
I believe the human brain has evolved to be curious, to ask questions and to understand its environment. I was lucky enough to stay curious long enough that science—particularly physics—became something of a hobby for me. Since childhood, I have been deeply interested in exploring general physics, particularly Einstein’s theories of relativity, concepts of spacetime and quantum physics.
One day, my middle school chemistry teacher, Herr Krueger, told the class that he had been a student of the famous physicist Friedrich Hermann Hund, well-known for establishing Hund's Rule. At the age of thirteen, I found myself suddenly connected to a lineage of scientific greatness, being a student of a student of a renowned scientist. This realization greatly motivated me to study science more seriously
More importantly, it made me realize that the prominent scientists that I was reading about were, at the end of the day, regular people like us—and with hard work, anyone could join their ranks. Later, I decided to study physics at Koç University, Turkey, and then I completed my Ph.D. in optics at CREOL, University of Central Florida, USA.
Why did you move from academia to industry?
Since the beginning of my doctoral studies, I have never seen academia and industry as two distinct realms, but rather as the two wings of a bird.
Before joining NEC Labs America (NECLA), USA, where I am currently employed as a researcher, I served as the vice dean of the College of Engineering and Natural Sciences at Bahçeşehir University, Turkey. My tenure in academia was marked by active collaboration with the industry, and now within industry, I continue to engage with academic institutions.
I believe that academia, particularly in technical sciences, will not accomplish much if detached from industry, just as industry disconnected from academia will be obstructed. This holds particularly true at NECLA, where we relentlessly pursue novel scientific solutions for complex technical challenges to support and advance the industry. To address society’s novel problems effectively, one must be at the cutting edge of scientific advancement, and this is only possible through the cooperation of industry and academia.
To address society’s novel problems effectively, one must be at the cutting edge of scientific advancement, and this is only possible through the cooperation of industry and academia.
What did you learn during that transition?
I think the primary distinction between the two is the presence of the customer and the customer’s needs. In the industry, we must apply a filter to the research we are pursuing to test if we are solving a problem that is actually worth solving and not be misguided by the appeal of the scientific process.
In other words, in industry, you must be more selective about the problems you are solving and make sure that those are validated problems defined by the needs of society and not just by trends or scientific peculiarities, or just because you have an elegant solution that is readily available.
Another aspect is of course the students. Even though I sometimes miss teaching in a classroom, the internship program at NECLA allows us, the researchers, to work together with graduate students and mentor them as well.
What role have collaborations played in your research?
Collaborations are essential in scientific and technological development, now more than ever. The problems we face as a society have become more complex and require a broad spectrum of expertise. For example, here at NECLA, we have experts on large-language models, photonic computing, fiber sensing, machine learning, communication and many other subjects, all working hand in hand. With collaborations, you can expand the collective capability and offer advanced solutions to complex problems.
Additionally, collaborators in industry often present us with critical problems in need of solutions, while academic partners might provide innovative solutions in search of applicable problems.
In some cases, collaboration occurs with someone unexpected―for example, my partnership with Jessica Ware, an entomologist from the American Museum of Natural History, with whom we worked on the fiber sensing of cicadas.
Speaking of cicadas, what has that project meant for you both as a researcher and within the context of your career?
Our project focusing on the long-term monitoring of cicadas using our distributed acoustic sensing technology with telecommunication fibers was truly exciting and enjoyable. One of the challenges researchers face with developing high-tech solutions is explaining this technology to the general public.
Here we have an extremely advanced technology that essentially converts the entire fiber-based telecommunication infrastructure into a vast sensor network. Similar to a living organism's nerve system, which detects conditions like ambient temperature, wind, humidity and potential dangers, the fiber optic network can serve as the nerve system for an entire city. It introduces several novel use cases for smart cities and infrastructures, yet these concepts can be complex for the general public to grasp.
Combining high-level technology such as fiber sensing, applying it to a telecommunication network and mixing it with the enigmatic life of cicadas became a very compelling story ... And now, these fascinating creatures have become real ambassadors for fiber sensing technology.
Monitoring cicada emergences using telecom fibers was an excellent chance to introduce our technology to the public through a real-life scenario. Combining high-level technology such as fiber sensing, applying it to a telecommunication network and mixing it with the enigmatic life of cicadas became a very compelling story. I must also emphasize the importance of science journalism in the broad and favorable reception of our results. And now, these fascinating creatures have become real ambassadors for fiber sensing technology.
What have you learned from this project or others that you would want to share with early-career researchers?
My message to early-career researchers is to keep their eyes and ears open, and to engage with both the scientific community and industry. As I mentioned before, collaboration is very important, especially for early-career researchers to build their professional network.
Also, I believe as scientists and researchers we should try to be a little more extroverted; it's unpredictable what might occur when—for example, physicists and entomologists start sharing ideas.
Looking forward, what are you most excited about in your career?
I am really excited about not just witnessing but also shaping emerging technologies that will address future challenges. These days, the world is changing ever faster―society’s needs and how it operates are changing at the fundamental level with every new technology. It is essential that we critically evaluate and revise current solutions and seek faster, better and more efficient alternatives.
Also, as a researcher, I am excited and curious about what I will learn next in my career, since as you know, learning never stops.