Recapping the Summer School on Optical Communication 2026: From Quantum Computers to Earthquake Detection

A three-day summer school co-organised by the ICON Project and the CONNECT Research Ireland Centre brought together researchers, students, and industry experts to examine the technologies shaping future communications networks.

Held at Trinity College Dublin from 2–5 September 2026, the programme gave participants an opportunity to learn from internationally recognised experts and explore emerging research across optical, quantum, and AI-enabled communications.

Welcoming participants, Professor Dan Kilper, Director of CONNECT at Trinity College Dublin, highlighted the core value of the event: “Events like this are about much more than the technical programme. They bring students, researchers, and industry together to exchange ideas, learn from one another, and build connections. This mix of perspectives is often where a conversation becomes an idea, an idea leads to collaboration and, ultimately, that collaboration leads to real-world impact.”

Connecting the Quantum Technologies of the Future

The opening day focused on quantum communications and quantum networking, exploring how optical technologies could help connect quantum computers, enable secure communications, and support future quantum networks.

In a plenary address, Professor Marko Lončar of Harvard University discussed quantum optical interconnects and the potential of photonics to connect different quantum computing systems. “Photonics already connects our information world through optical fibres. The question now is how we can use that expertise to connect quantum systems and enable the next generation of quantum technologies,” Professor Lončar stated, exploring technologies that could allow separate quantum processors to be connected as larger, modular quantum computing systems.

The day also featured a lecture on quantum optical networks from Professor Kilper and a panel discussion on the future of quantum communications. Dr Leonardo Bacciottini of the University of Massachusetts Amherst introduced key quantum concepts, while Dr Rui Lin of Chalmers University of Technology examined how future quantum networks could be managed and controlled.

From Communications Cables to Global Sensors

The second day shifted focus to the core of the ICON Project’s mission: demonstrating how optical fibre can do much more than carry communications traffic.

Mikael Mazur of Nokia Bell Labs explored how existing terrestrial and subsea telecommunications cables could also operate as large-scale sensor networks, supporting environmental monitoring and the detection of seismic activity in regions where conventional sensors are limited.

Dr Kaida Kaeval of Tallinn University of Technology (an ICON consortium partner) examined how data from communications networks and dedicated sensing equipment could be combined to monitor infrastructure, highlighting the practical importance of cost, reliability, and common industry standards.

The programme then turned to the growing role of artificial intelligence in communications:

• Machine Learning for Networks: Professor Massimo Tornatore of Politecnico di Milano outlined how ML can support network optimisation, resource allocation, performance monitoring, and failure management.
• Quantum Key Distribution (QKD): Professor Marco Lucamarini of the University of York discussed the challenges of extending transmission range and strengthening the security of practical systems to develop smaller, deployable devices.
• Optical Signal Processing: Professor Ioannis Tomkos of the University of Patras examined how moving processing from electronics into the optical domain could reduce the bandwidth and power limitations facing future AI data centres.

The summer school concluded with a practical AI hackathon led by CONNECT postdoctoral researcher Dmitrii Briantcev. Participants worked with machine-learning tools and a digital twin of an optical network, gaining hands-on experience in AI-supported network monitoring, management, and optimisation.

Connecting Research with Real-World Infrastructure

Industry partnerships formed a crucial part of the programme, connecting emerging research with the infrastructure needed to test and deploy new communications technologies.

The event was supported by Aurora Telecom, the University of Patras, and Pilot Photonics. James Freeman, Fibre Manager at Aurora Telecom, noted: “The pace of innovation in communications technology is accelerating, making collaboration between industry and academia more important than ever. Aurora Telecom works closely with CONNECT on active research programmes, with our national fibre network providing a platform for the development, testing, and validation of next-generation optical and quantum communications technologies.”

The ICON Project acknowledges all speakers, organisers, and participants who contributed to the programme, as well as the teams behind the ECO-eNET, SENSEI, FLEX-SCALE, and PROTEUS-6G projects.

Follow the official video recap here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6krOBg4P2Q

Source of image: https://www.tcd.ie/news_events/articles/2026/summer-school-on-optical-communication/