Dr. Gernot S. Pomrenke

Dr. Gernot S. Pomrenke is program manager for Optoelectronics, Photonics and Nanotechnology at the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) in Arlington VA. Within his national and international portfolio he explores nanophotonics, including plasmonics and metamaterials, to manipulate and exploit light-matter interactions to increase the performance of optoelectronic components. Other major portfolio thrusts include Silicon Photonics, Integrated Photonics, Reconfigurable Photonics as well as Terahertz Technology and Quantum Computing. Prior to arriving at AFOSR, Dr. Pomrenke was located at the National Science Foundation, as photonics program director, and the Defense Advanced Projects Agency (DARPA) as program manager for the Ultra Electronics (nanoelectronics) and Terahertz Technology Programs. Prior to this he held various technical and academic positions (as active duty military officer) in the Air Force including an exchange program to the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany and a sabbatical with the Naval Research Lab. While at the Fraunhofer IAF from 1982 to 1984, he performed research in III-V semiconductors and ground breaking work leading to silicon photonics. He holds a position as DoD representative to the National Subcommittee on Nanoscale Science, Engineering and Technology (NSET) within the NNI (www.nano.gov), and was one of the original members of the Interagency Working Group on Nanoscience, Engineering and Technology (IWGN) responsible for the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI). Currently he is engaged in the Nanotechnology Signature Initiative on Nanoelectronics for 2020 and Beyond (http://www.nano.gov/signatureinitiatives), the National Photonics Initiative (NPI), the OSTP Fast Track Action Committee on Optics & Photonics, and the Integrated Photonics Institute for Manufacturing Innovation (IP-IMI) (http://www.manufacturing.gov/ip-imi.html). He received his B.S. from USAFA & M.S. and PhD in physics from AFIT. Born in Pirmasens, Germany.