Kidger Optics Associates: Michael Kidger Memorial Scholarship: Awardees: Winner 2012

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Fabian Dürr and Tina Kidger Kidger Scholarship Award Presentation SPIE Optical Systems Design, Symposium 26 November 2012, Barcelona, Spain	Award Year 2012 Fabian Dürr, a Ph.D student at the Brussels Photonics Team B-PHOT in the Department of Applied Physics and Photonics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, has been awarded the 2012 Michael Kidger Memorial Scholarship awardee. He has an undergraduate degree (Physik-Vordiplom) and a master's level degree (Physik-Diplom) from the University of Karlsruhe. Fabian's thesis topic is "Tracking integration in concentrating photovoltaics using laterally moving optics" and is being carried out under the guidance of Chair, Department Head and Professor Hugo Thienpont.

Fabian's study integrates both free-form optics design and the Simultaneous Multiple Surfaces (SMS) design method, developed by Professors Juan C. Miñano and Pablo Benítez. In 2011 Fabian spent approximately five months, partially funded via an FWO (Research Foundation - Flanders) travel scholarship, furthering his research on novel direct design methods for free-form optics with Prof's Miñano and Benítez at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. Fabian hopes to complete his degree effort in 2013. His continuing interests include the direct design of optical systems with multiple surfaces and asymmetric off-axis lens design in the fields of nonimaging and imaging optics.

The 2012 Kidger scholarship award was presented to Fabian at the SPIE Optical Systems Design Symposium, 26 to 29 November 2012, Barcelona, Spain.

Fabian Dürr 2012

Fabian Dürr 2020

Update 2020

"Since 2016, Fabian has been an assistant research professor at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB). In this role, Fabian is striving to enhance and expand his expertise in imaging system design to become 'fluent' in both nonimaging and imaging optics. Besides his academic research activities, he remains involved in various European, national and regional projects including bilateral projects with industry. He is an active member of the optics community and serves as chair for the Kidger Scholarship Committee since 2019, and for the Freeform Optics conference as part of OSA’s Optical Design and Fabrication Congress since 2017."

Update 2013

On 17 May 2013, Fabian Dürr successfully defended his PhD thesis: "New free-form optics design methods for solar concentrators and imaging applications". Promoters of his PhD were Prof. Dr. Ir. Hugo Thienpont and Prof. Dr. Ir. Youri Meuret. He was awarded the degree of Doctor in Engineering with greatest distinction and unanimous congratulations of the jury.

As a post-doctoral research fellow of FWO - Vlaanderen, he is responsible for the optical design and modelling platform at B-PHOT where he leads a small research group which explores the potential of free-form optical design for solar concentration, refractive laser beam shaping and imaging systems. His experience includes responsibilities in research, teaching, supervision, collaboration in projects and consulting for industry.