Sukorno Asad, a graduate of the prestigious Imperial College London, has been pursuing his doctorate at the Wrocław Tech Doctoral School since October. At the Faculty of Electronics, Photonics and Microsystems, he is developing mid- to far-infrared laser technologies.

Our doctoral student from the UK conducts research as a member of the u.MIR group. It’s a team that focuses on building ultrafast and ultrastable mid-IR chromium lasers, led by Maciej Kowalczyk, PhD. 

Sukorno Asad’s doctoral studies project lies in the field of optoelectronics and laser engineering, where he is developing new ways to generate mid- to far-infrared lasers. Their key element is the use of nonlinear crystals, i.e., materials with special optical properties that enable effective conversion of light frequencies.

“My personal priorities and responsibilities within this project are to explore different methods for generating frequencies of light in the infrared range, with the ultimate aim of maximising this spectral conversion as far into the infrared as possible,” explains Sukorno Asad. “This is done using nonlinear crystals, a special type of material with enhanced optical properties. My project includes studying different crystals to determine their optimal integration with our ultrastable chromium lasers,” adds our guest.

Maciej Kowalczyk’s team collaborates with the group of Prof. Ferenc Krausz, a Nobel Prize winner that works at the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics in Garching, Germany.

Together they are developing mid- to far-infrared laser sources to conduct field-resolved spectroscopy of biological systems for early detection of diseases such as cancers.

From London to Wrocław

Sukorno Asad recalls: “I was informed of the position opening through one of my lecturers in laser physics at Imperial College whose network overlaps with that of Dr Kowalczyk, and I found the topic aligning perfectly with my own interests. At the time, I was in discussions with other groups and opportunities in the UK and elsewhere.”

In the interview process at Wrocław Tech, he met Maciej Kowalczyk’s team, saw the labs, delivered his presentation, and found out more about the research conducted within the department. “After seeing the exceptionally high-quality research from these groups operating at the leading edge of laser physics and optics, particularly the group I am now a part of, I started considering a four-year move to Poland more seriously,” stresses Sukorno Asad.

Another reason is his love of adventure and challenge. Moving to a new country, facing a new language, new people and environment, offered him exciting opportunities and experiences of exploration. “Poland has been known worldwide as a leader of scientific achievement for centuries, and to become a small part of that prestige through this PhD feels a great honour,” adds the young British scientist.

With a little help from his friends

After his first few months in Wrocław, he feels now quite adjusted to Polish realities. While the bureaucratic demands of moving from the UK to Poland are challenging, he describes the transition to living here as a peaceful and enjoyable one. He was surprised by the polite public behavior and respect for rules in our city, especially at traffic lights, which contributes heavily to the peaceful social atmosphere felt in Wrocław.
 
As part of his research group, he has been welcomed very warmly. “Everyone is unbelievably friendly, which has helped me feel very settled into my daily surroundings and integrated into the team,” says the doctoral student. “I enjoy the abundance of friendly chats in the corridors. The language barrier is also greatly reduced by the support of my friends within both my group and the department, who always give their maximum efforts to help me handle some situations which aren't well-suited to foreigners,” he adds.

Adventure, challenges and exploration 

Sukorno Asad recommends the Wrocław Tech Doctoral School to the foreign candidates motivated by exciting new projects and with the ambition to persevere in the face of challenges. Though the infrastructure might not be fully adapted to English-speakers, he constantly sees new practices encouraging an international research body here. The challenge of pursuing a PhD while at the same time learning Polish is for him far outweighed by the opportunity to participate in cutting-edge research.
 
“Many factors have made my transition easier as a foreign student: the ever-growing support for English speakers throughout Polish culture, other foreign doctoral students I’ve met, and in particular the exceptional quality of life in Poland,” stresses Sukorno Asad. “The city’s facilities and social life support a great work-life balance, with beautiful nature and many places to explore. Wrocław is a great student city, offering a unique blend of energy and peace,” he adds.

He also hopes to continue pursuing his hobbies at Wrocław Tech. He has been passionate in cooking and exploring dishes from cultures all over the world. Another of his interests, for over a decade, has been videography and video editing – he has expanded from casual videos to professional editing services. He also competed as a powerlifter for the Imperial College Barbell Club powerlifting team, and hopes to catch up with this sport in the future.
 
“Overall, Poland – and in particular, my group at Wrocław Tech – has provided me with the opportunity to conduct incredibly exciting cutting-edge research in a new environment with fantastic people, surrounded by a wealth of new adventures and challenges,” he concludes.