Initial entry deadline for 2020 Lightwave Innovation Reviews is October 25
The “early bird” deadline for submissions for the 2020 Lightwave Innovation Reviews is October 25, 2019. The Lightwave Innovation Reviews recognizes excellence in a product or technology applicable to optical networks. Information on the Reviews, including how to submit an entry, can be found at the Lightwave Innovation Reviews portal.
Entries filed by the end of the day October 25 receive a $100 discount on the entry fee. The final deadline for submission to the 2020 Lightwave Innovation Reviews is November 15, 2019.
Now in its seventh year, the Lightwave Innovation Reviews accepts entries that describe products either introduced or significantly upgraded since OFC 2019 this past March. A panel of judges will evaluate submitted entries for originality, innovation, positive impact on the customer, how well it addresses a new or existing requirement, and cost-effectiveness. The judges will then rate each entry on a scale of one to five, with five recognizing an entry that brings something unique to optical communications.
Entries that receive an average score of at least 3.5 will be honored as Elite Score recipients. Lightwave will reveal details of these Elite Score entries in late February 2020, shortly before OFC 2020.
Lightwave plans to announce honorees in the following 12 categories:
- Carrier Fiber, Cable, Enclosures, and Accessories
- Communications Semiconductors and Electrical ICs
- Data Center Fiber, Cable, Enclosures and Accessories
- Data Center Interconnect Platforms
- Field Test Equipment
- FTTx Systems
- Lab/Production Test Equipment
- Optical Components
- Optical Subsystems
- Optical Transceivers and Transponders
- Optical Transport Systems
- SDN/NFV Technology
The judging panel consists of optical communications technology developers, users, and market analysts with years of experience in specifying, designing, and evaluating fiber-optic communications technology independent of the Lightwave staff. Stephen Hardy, editorial director of Lightwave, will serve as program manager this year. Questions about the Lightwave Innovation Reviews can be addressed to Hardy at [email protected].
Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director and Associate Publisher, Lightwave
Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.
Stephen has moderated panels at numerous events, including the Optica Executive Forum, ECOC, and SCTE Cable-Tec Expo. He also is program director for the Lightwave Innovation Reviews and the Diamond Technology Reviews.
He has written numerous articles in all aspects of optical communications and fiber-optic networks, including fiber to the home (FTTH), PON, optical components, DWDM, fiber cables, packet optical transport, optical transceivers, lasers, fiber optic testing, and more.
You can connect with Stephen on LinkedIn as well as Twitter.