Profile
- Ibrahim Salah
- He joined NTT in 2011 as a post-doctoral fellow and has been a full-time employee since 2013. Originally from Egypt, he joined NTT because he was drawn by its excellent research facilities and climate.
- Ibrahim Salah
-
NTT Device Technology Laboratories
Joined the company in 2011
Bringing innovation to optical communications through flexible thinking
Ibrahim, who studied at Cairo University and did post-doctoral work at an American university, feels that NTT's environment is "the best in the world." Looking ahead to an era of explosive growth in data transmission volume, he hopes to achieve breakthroughs in optical communications that transcend conventional wisdom in a place that is well-equipped, has all the needed human resources, and is highly stimulating.
Technology
An environment that is second to none in the world
In 2011, Ibrahim came to NTT R&D as a postdoctoral fellow to participate in research on a completely new data transmission method called "optical packet switching." Efforts to achieve transmission efficiency in conventional data transmission focused on repeatedly converting electricity to light and light to electricity. However, today, with the explosive increase in data traffic, the conversion process itself has become a bottleneck, leading to disadvantages such as reduction in transmission speed and increase in power consumption.
“I gaining a very valuable experience in research on optical packet switching. Under the supervision of a world-renowned supervisor, I am able to engage in research in a stimulating environment, where I work on a highly original topic that is uniquely NTT. When I joined, I was also amazed by the research facilities, which I thought were second to none in the world."
Ibrahim says, "With the best environment and the best colleagues, I have been able to lead a very fulfilling life as a researcher.”
Personality
As a researcher, original sensibility is important.
As a researcher, Ibrahim is strict with himself and at the same time sincere in his attitude to research. When he was a student and when he was a postdoctoral fellow in the U.S., he worked on a variety of optical devices, gaining knowledge on both electrical and optical signals. After joining the "optical packet switching" research team, he has continued to use his experience to break new ground by combining both technologies. His sincere attitude toward research has remained unchanged, but he says that his sense of awareness has changed since becoming an NTT employee.
“From an academic perspective, the period from university to postdoctoral fellowship is primarily about thinking. Once you become a researcher working for a company, your originality is put to the test. You are tested not only on your advanced skills and knowledge, but also on how far you can put your sensibility as a researcher to good use. Thus, it is more important to be able to think things through on your own, not just upon impulse.”
Wanting to leave an impact on the world, he carries out his research activities while pursuing his own unique style.
※The names of research institutes and affiliate organizations of employees in the article are current at the time of the interview. Some may be old names of research institutes.
