Coherent Appoints Julie Sheridan Eng as CTO
Industry expert will focus on extending technology platforms including the creation of new materials for energy generation, transmission, and storage
Laser and optical technology firm Coherent has appointed Julie Sheridan Eng as chief technology officer. Eng was previously SVP and general manager of optoelectronic devices and modules.
“The appointment of Julie Eng as CTO not only recognises her sustained contributions to the development of an entire industry, but also reveals an important step in the evolution of our exciting growth plans,” said Vincent D. Mattera, Jr., Chair and CEO.
“Eng will focus on Coherent’s future technology platforms that will enable us to address the long-term and irreversible market trends that are core to our strategy and to our drive for sustainably profitable growth. Consistent with our vision of a world transformed through innovations vital to a better life today and the sustainability of future generations, she will focus on the opportunity for us to extend our technology platforms across the company including the creation of new materials for energy generation, transmission, and storage, basic research around next-generation quantum technologies, breakthroughs required for the sixth generation of wireless networks, and the adoption of digital technologies, machine learning, and artificial intelligence across our operations and in our products and services.”
Prior to being named CTO, Eng successfully ran the Optoelectronic Devices and Modules Business Unit. In that role, she oversaw engineering, product management, and operations for GaAs VCSELs, InP directly modulated lasers (DMLs) and detectors, and CMOS/BiCMOS integrated circuits for datacom, 3D sensing, and high-volume consumer applications.
Prior to Coherent, Eng held a number of senior management positions at Finisar since 2003, including EVP and general manager of 3D Sensing and EVP of Datacom Engineering. Over the 15 years that she managed datacom and transceiver engineering, her teams released over 180 fibre-optic transceiver products and achieved numerous industry firsts. Eng began her career at AT&T Bell Laboratories, where she led the development of laser-based datacom transceivers.
Eng has published over a dozen papers, co-authored a book chapter, holds six US patents, and has given numerous invited talks. Eng graduated summa cum laude from Bryn Mawr College with a bachelor’s degree in Physics and also holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering with honours from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). She also earned MS and PhD degrees in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University. In 2022, Eng was elected a Fellow of Optica (formerly the Optical Society of America) for distinguished contributions to the advancement of optics and photonics.
Eng has been a tireless advocate of women’s contributions to STEM. She is a past chair of the IEEE Committee on Women in Engineering and presently serves on the SPIE Executive Advisory Group.
