Professor Francois Ladouceur is a distinguished academic at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), where he serves in the Faculty of Engineering, specifically within the School of Electrical Engineering and Telecommunications. With a career spanning over three decades, Professor Ladouceur has established himself as a leading expert in photonics, optical engineering, and neural interfaces. His educational background includes: Ph.D. in Optical Communication from The Australian National University (1992) Masters in Solid State Physics from École Polytechnique, Montréal, Canada (1987) B. Eng. in Engineering Physics from École Polytechnique, Montréal, Canada (1985) Professor Ladouceur's research spans several cutting-edge areas in photonics and optical engineering. His work focuses on integrated optics, silica and diamond-based photonics, optical sensing networks, and photonics-based brain/machine interfaces. He has made significant contributions to both fundamental waveguide theory and applied integrated optics, introducing innovative approaches to waveguide path design that have improved the size and ease of design of integrated optics devices. His recent work has particularly emphasized the development of liquid crystal-based optical electrodes for neural interfacing and brain/machine interfaces. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong trend toward biomedical applications of photonics, particularly in neural interfaces and optrode technology. His research has evolved from fundamental optical engineering to practical applications in healthcare, with a focus on developing novel optical sensing technologies for electrophysiological measurements. The interdisciplinary nature of his work combines optical engineering, materials science, and biomedical engineering to create innovative solutions for neural interfacing. Professor Ladouceur has secured significant research funding through multiple prestigious grants: ARC Discovery (DP200102825): "A Multi-Optrode Array for Closed-Loop Bionics" ($495k) NHMRC Ideas Grant (APP2002282): "Re-engineering the Future of Electrophysiological Measurements" ($732k) ARC Discovery 2016 (DP160104625): "Design of an optrode for next generation brain-machine interfaces" ($457.6k) CRC Project 2016: "High performance optical telemetry system for ocean monitoring" ($1,014,320) US Office of Naval Research: "Multi-Optrode Array for Neural Interfacing" (US$360,000) Professor Ladouceur has extensive experience in translating research into practical applications, having founded Bandwidth Foundry Pty Ltd after raising approximately $20 million from private and public sources. His work bridges the gap between academic research and commercial applications, with a particular focus on developing novel hybrid opto-electronics devices from initial design through to commercial realization. He collaborates extensively with researchers across disciplines, particularly with Professor Nigel Lovell and other colleagues in biomedical engineering. His laboratory focuses on developing optical technologies for neural interfaces, with current projects including multi-optrode arrays for brain-machine interfaces, optical telemetry systems for various sensing applications, and diamond-based photonic structures. The research group maintains strong connections with industry partners and defense organizations, applying photonics solutions to real-world problems in healthcare, mining safety, and ocean monitoring.
