I graduated in engineering (applied physics) at Ghent University in June 1998. He joined the Photonics Research Group of Ghent University-IMEC for a PhD, building the design and technology foundations for IMEC's first silicon photonics technology platform on 200mm CMOS tools. This led to collaborations with tens of partners, growing into a silicon photonics multi-project-wafer service in IMEC, eventually known as ePIXfab. To enable the design of these photonic chips, I and my colleagues develeoped the software package IPKISS, a parametric design framework for photonic circuits.In 2010, I became Professor at Ghent University, specializing in advanced design methodologies for integrated photonics, tackling the challenges that form the design gap for silicon photonics. With the growing industrial interest in silicon photonics, this know-how became ever more relevant for a larger community. In June 2014, I co-founded Luceda Photonics, a Ghent University - IMEC- VUB spin-off to bring the IPKISS software and other advanced design tools to the rapidly growing photonics market.With Luceda Photonics successfully established in the Integrated photonics market, I returned full-time to my fundamental research interest. Since October 2016, I am again full-time at Ghent University and IMEC with a growing research activity in large-scale silicon photonics and programmable photonic circuits, supported by a Consolidator Grant of the European Research Council.I am a very strong adept of Agile and Lean philisophies, with a passion to apply them to the peculiar ecosystem of academic research, as well as my personal life.I am co-author of over 200 publications in the field of silicon photonics and design methodologies, including many invitations to international conferences. He holds several patents in the field of photonics and its applications. I am a fellow of IEEE, and a senior member of OSA and SPIE.