The Fiber Optic Academy welcomes one of the original founders of fiber optics, Mr. Peter H. Morcombe.  Peter has over 50 years of experience in fiber networking, high tech telecommunications, and computers.  While managing the Hitchen Stevenage link near Milton Keynes, England, Peter was hired to manage the OCU (Optical Communication Unit) in Harlow.  His main contribution to the OCU was improving the manufacturing processes for optical fiber and optical cables. He also participated in a lawsuit against Corning over patent infringement. 

 

His staff at OCU produced the fiber for the TAT-8 prototype cable but by the time the production phase started he was already at ITT HQ in New York.  His job at ITT involved building cable factories in several countries including Australia, the USA and South Korea.  He left the OCU for ITT HQ in 1982 just as John Tilly was appointed project manager for the TAT-8 project (completed in 1988).

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Additionally, Peter was project manager for the 1980 ME29 computer project at the Duke University Free Electron Laser. He spent 4 years developing lasers and picosecond streak cameras. His fiber optics experience includes the manufacture of fiber, fiber optic cable, terminal equipment, and complete systems installation. Most importantly, Peter worked with many of the early fiber optic pioneers including Dr. Charles Kao and David Payne in the design and development of fiber optic systems.

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Peter’s professional memberships include FOA, IEE, IEEE and LEOS (Lasers & Electro-Optics Society). Peter has a Master of Arts with Honors from Cambridge University in Electrical Engineering and Physics. In addition, he was awarded a scholarship in physics by Pembroke College, Cambridge and an industrial scholarship by GEC Ltd. He is Certified as a Master Instructor by the Fiber Optics Association.