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Karen Hall Headshot A woman with long blonde hair smiling at the camera. She is wearing a blue denim shirt and a light blue lanyard. The background is a plain light-colored wall, giving the image a clean and professional appearance©️ Karen Hall, Production Operator G&H Torquay

A Recognition of the People Shaping the Future of Photonics Worldwide

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We are delighted to announce that our very own Karen Hall, Production Operator at G&H Torquay, has been named honouree on The Photonics100 List for 2026 - a recognition of the people shaping the future of photonics worldwide.

With more than two decades of experience, Karen has become a cornerstone of photonics craftsmanship, consistently pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in fiber optic engineering. Her expertise has advanced some of the most demanding applications in the industry.

Laser communication terminal for geostationary satellites, A gold-foil-wrapped satellite optical payload is mounted on a testing platform in a cleanroom. The device, part of NEC's space technology, features a black aperture and various cables wrapped in blue protective material. The platform is labeled with NEC's slogan "Orchestrating a brighter world." The white walls of the cleanroom bear the NEC logo in multiple places©️ JAXA - Laser communication terminal for geostationary satellites

Most recently, Karen contributed to the JAXA LUCAS programme, which achieved the world’s first optical inter-satellite transmission at 1.55 μm and 1.8 Gbps across 40,000 km. From precision soldering and fiber splicing to assembling critical laser and photodiode modules, her skill and dedication were instrumental to this milestone in satellite communications.

Her holistic approach and deep understanding of how each component contributes to the whole system reflect her mastery of the photonics craft.

Karen added "It’s special to know that something I worked on with my own two hands is now up in space. Not only that, but it’s currently the most advanced optical communication system in the world – that’s an incredible feeling. The results reported by JAXA validate the precision and dedication we put into every project here at G&H Torquay".

Read more about Karen and her pioneering work in our exclusive interview here.

Promotional banner for The Photonics 100 – 2026, highlighting 'The industry’s most innovative people.' Features the number 100 in large gold font, with a collage of grayscale portraits of various individuals in the background.©️ The Photonics 100 2026 - Electro Optics

Brought to you by Electro Optics, this year’s Photonics100 list celebrates a milestone for diversity, featuring the highest number of women recognized to date - 28 female innovators on the 2026 list. We’re especially proud to see Karen among them. Join us in congratulating her on this well-deserved honour.

View the full list of honourees
The Photonics100 List
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Satellite Communications

Using our considerable experience in the design and manufacture of space-grade components, we develop application-specific sub-systems for laser satellite communications.

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