Lothar U. Kempen

Prof. Dr. Lothar U. Kempen serves as Professor of Photonics, Bus Systems, and Networking at Ruhr West University of Applied Sciences, where he has directed the Electrical Engineering bachelor's program since 2012 and oversaw its 2024 reaccreditation as Electrical and Information Technologies. He represents the Institute of Measurement and Sensor Technology in the university senate and department council.

His research spans photonics, fiber optic sensor systems, and network technologies with applications in aerospace, medical diagnostics, and industrial safety. Key focus areas include:

• Miniaturized multi-analyte optical sensors for medical monitoring
• Harsh-environment sensing systems for aerospace applications
• Distributed fiber optic networks for structural health monitoring
• Label-free biosensors for rapid biological detection

His work bridges fundamental optical engineering with practical industrial implementations.

Prof. Kempen's publications reveal strong emphasis on translating laboratory innovations to real-world applications, particularly in aerospace safety systems and medical diagnostics. His team has developed numerous patented sensor architectures validated in NASA, DoD, and industrial settings.

Award highlights include:

• Time Magazine's 'Best Inventions of 2007' for optical sensing technology
• 22 U.S. and international patents in optical sensor systems
• Longstanding SPIE and IEEE membership with conference leadership roles

His industrial experience includes founding Optinetrics Inc. (growing to 32 employees with $22M venture funding) and serving as CTO at Intelligent Optical Systems. He has directed numerous SBIR/STTR projects for NIH, NASA, and DoD, securing over $15M in research funding. Current academic leadership includes developing the Chinese-German Technical Faculty partnership with Qingdao University of Science and Technology.

Prof. Kempen maintains active research laboratories focused on:

• Fiber-to-the-home optical transceiver development
• Laser-ultrasonic nondestructive testing systems
• Medical sensor prototypes for neonatal care
• Integrated photonic circuits for sensing applications