From Idea to Profitability
W. JEFFREY SHAKESPEARE, PHD
Experience & Expertise
Inventor, entrepreneur, and team builder with interdisciplinary leadership skills in optics, mechanics, electronics, materials science, heat transfer, photonics, and MEMS/optical MEMS. Demonstrated ability to establish and motivate strong interdisciplinary teams while developing and maintaining clear vision for design goals. Over 35 years of experience as an engineer, research scientist, manager, and team builder in both R&D and manufacturing, for large companies and startups. Strong development/manufacturing problem resolution skills. Experienced in consumer products, toys, biomedical, industrial sensing, optoelectronics, optics, MEMs, sports equipment, manufacturing, automotive, energy conversion and general product design. Thirty-four issued patents with the USPTO in many of these areas and author of over twenty technical journal articles and conference presentations.
PRINCIPAL, PRODUCT REALIZATION SPECIALTIES, LLC
2019 - Present
Consulting company bringing creative ideas to market. Unique business model partnering with clients to do up front design work with minimal cost, determine overall feasibility and assess initial IP. Strong network of professional support including patent counsel, corporate counsel, electrical engineering, software, mechanical engineering and marketing to accomplish design, analysis, market research, preliminary patent search, first prototype fabrication, production ramp and sourcing, as well as work with patent counsel to file provisional, utility or ornamental design patents.
PROCESS DEVELOPMENT ENGINEER, INFINERA CORPORATION
2015- 2021
Created a small team consisting of an optical engineer, process development engineer, mechanical engineer, test engineer, and optical component suppliers. Developed several Key Enabling Technologies to facilitate miniaturization and manufacturing for optical modules. IP developed in open beam optics, mechanics, and process development.
VP OF MANUFACTURING, ALBERTA CENTRE FOR ADVANCED MNT PRODUCTS, ALBERTA, CA
2013-2015
Responsible for all manufacturing activity including engineering and production for both Edmonton and Calgary locations at ACAMP. Developed a strong team of electrical, mechanical, process and software engineers to design, patent, and produce the world’s first lithium niobate phase modulated acoustic pipeline leak detection system for a client in Calgary, Alberta CA. The team also did package, process design and prototype production for a startup communication company in Ottawa, ON CA.
CONSULTANT, ALBERTA CENTRE FOR ADVANCED MNT PRODUCTS, EDMONTON, ALBERTA, CA
2009-2013
ACAMP is a Canadian government sponsored organization providing technical support to startups and small businesses in Alberta, Canada. Designed and built a specialized cooled laser package and platform laser production line for mid IR laser diodes in support of local clients, provided optoelectronic packaging consulting for several clients, and developed optics and packaging for various fluorescence detection systems, as well as optical models for cameras and sensors.
FOUNDER - CHIEF TECHNICAL OFFICER, ELECTRIKUS, INCORPORATED, BETHLEHEM, PA
2009-2012
Established the company and invented a line of affordable battery backup systems for the home in case of power outage. Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania portfolio company. Designed and built first prototype, filed foundational patent, hired engineers and opened offices/lab for the company in July 2009. First product shipment and revenue in November 2010.
PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST, GLUCOLIGHT CORPORATION, BETHLEHEM, PA
2003-2009
Teamed with 15 other entrepreneurs to develop a non-invasive optical glucose monitor for diabetics. Company was formed in April of 2003 and supported by the Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania. Responsible for the initial product design including conceptual design, optical design, opto-mechanical design and analysis, development of the laboratory experimental apparatus and research program, as well as fundamental mode of action studies and early clinical trials. Co-inventor for all of the glucose monitoring patents for the company.
VISITING RESEARCH SCIENTIST, CENTER FOR OPTICAL TECHNOLOGIES, LEHIGH UNIVERSITY, PA
2003-2005
Conducted research and wrote grant proposals in the area of optoelectronic packaging in order to grow the Center for Optical Technologies, Packaging Thrust Team and develop a strong interdisciplinary research program at Lehigh. Supported local industry with FMA and technology research. Published and contributed IP in this area for the university.
Adjunct Professor, Department of Materials Science and Engineering
Developed course ME 350/450/MAT 319 “Microsystems Packaging” delivered in fall 2004 and fall 2005.
DIRECTOR/SENIOR STAFF ENGINEER, PRODUCT REALIZATION - T-NETWORKS, ALLENTOWN, PA (A STARTUP FIBER OPTIC COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY)
2000-2003
Recruited and established the packaging team for both development and manufacturing from inception to a well balanced team of engineers and technicians consisting of physical design, thermal/structural analysis, process development, optics, design/drafting, manufacturing process engineering, Director of Manufacturing, test development, model shop, and technical support. Project leader and manager for first product, a 40Gb/s electro-absorption modulator for fiber optic communications. Primary inventor of the Laser Integrated Modulator, world’s first hybrid laser/modulator in a single cost saving package.
ADJUNCT PROFESSOR – NATIONAL TRAINING CENTER FOR MICROELECTRONICS, NORTHAMPTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE
1998-2005
Created professional development course entitled “Fiber Optic Communications and Components” which is an overview of fiber optics with emphasis on the design and manufacture of the enabling components. Delivered the course to students at the college, IMAPS professional society meetings, the National Security Agency, as well as employees at the Lucent Technologies, Optoelectronics location in Breinigsville, PA.
TECHNICAL MANAGER - LITHIUM NIOBATE AND WAVEGUIDE ROUTER PROCESS/PLATFORM DEVELOPMENT, AT&T/LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES BELL LABORATORIES, BREINIGSVILLE, PA
1992-2000
1998-2000 Technical Manager - Lithium Niobate and Waveguide Router Process/Platform Development. Created a high-volume manufacturing/design platform for LiNbO3 modulators and silica wave guide routers. Contributed 4 patents to enable automated, high volume manufacture. Ramped production of modulators from 200/month to over 5000/week.
1994-1998 Technical Manager – Erbium Doped Fiber Amplifier Manufacturing and Process Development. Established Erbium doped fiber amplifier manufacturing at Breinigsville location. Built a “High Performance Work Team” of manufacturing and process development engineers with new manufacturing paradigm characterized by team ownership of material management, production planning, process development, operations, and manufacturing engineering.
1992-1994 Technical Manager – Laser Subsystems Manufacturing. Manufacturing Engineering Manager for fiber optic transmitters and receivers which were the top revenue producer for the business unit.
AT&T BELL LABORATORIES, MIDDLETOWN, NJ
1979-1992
1987-1992 Supervisor – Product Realization Group, Digital Product Development Department Led a group of 14 engineers and technicians developing data communication products.
1979-1987 Member of Technical Staff Product physical design including plastics, sheet metal, circuit pack layout, displays, switches, and interconnect as well as introduction to manufacture for modems, digital data service units, telephones, speakerphones, and rack mounted network management products. Responsible for research on thermal design and analysis. Three patents in the area of telephone set design and thermal management.
LEHIGH UNIVERSITY, BETHLEHEM, PA
1976-1978
Teaching Assistant – Department of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics
Instructor for Statics, Thermodynamics I, and Thermodynamics II. Full responsibility for lectures, examinations and grading.
National Science Foundation Trainee
Conducted thermal-fluids research on fluidized bed coal combustion and helped lay the foundation for the Energy Research Center at Lehigh University.
ENGINEER, SYSTEM POWER AND ENGINEERING, PENNSYLVANIA POWER & LIGHT COMPANY, ALLENTOWN, PA
1973-1975
Responsible for review and approval of specifications and designs for new power plant construction, feasibility studies and capacity planning.
BRANDING & POSITIONING ANALYSIS
Identify & Achieve Your Goals
Our team of primary-experience consutants will help you in any/all of the following areas:
Design, analysis, market research, preliminary patent search, first prototype fabrication, production ramp and sourcing, as well as work with patent counsel to file provisional, utility or ornamental design patents, and many more! There is no limit to future collaboration.
EDUCATION
Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA
October, 1979
PH.D. MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
Dissertation: An Experimental and Theoretical Study of the Confined Vortex with High Flow Rate
May 1977
MS MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
Thesis: “Analysis of Power Cycles with Centrifugal Fluidized Bed Coal Combustion”
Graduate work done under a National Science Foundation Energy Traineeship for full graduate tuition.
May 1973
BS MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
Award of the Bethlehem Fabricators providing full scholarship for senior undergraduate year.
PATENTS
#10,416,005 “Optical interrogator for performing interferometry using fiber Bragg gratings” World’s first lithium niobate phase modulated fiber optic acoustic sensor for pipeline leak detection, no signal splitting.
Application #20180356210 “OPTICAL INTERROGATOR FOR PERFORMING INTERFEROMETRY USING FIBER BRAGG GRATINGS” World’s first lithium niobate phase modulated fiber optic acoustic sensor for pipeline leak detection. Operates by splitting the light into two pulses.
#10,221,833 “Sail based wind energy system” Roof top wind capture system using sail technology to scoop large area of wind for home clean energy generation.
#9,002,372 “Locating system for autistic child and others” Unique locating system for cognitively impaired children and adults.
Application #20120150001 “Hyaluronic acid based glucose monitoring” Identification of the primary mode of action mechanism for glucose sensing in tissue using OCT.
#9,833,180 “Multispot monitoring for use in optical coherence tomography” Technique for examining multiple locations on the skin to optimize the OCT signal for glucose monitoring.
#10,368,787 “Flowometry in optical coherence tomography for analyte level estimation” A method of finding blood flow in the dermis to optimize site location for OCT glucose monitoring.
#8,788,003 “Monitoring blood constituent levels in biological tissue”
#8,049,364 “Back-Up Power System” A method of smart battery backup for lamps, refrigerators, and other appliances that maximizes back-up time by taking control of the appliance output.
#8,204,566 “Method and apparatus for monitoring blood constituent levels in biological tissue”
#8,219,172 “System and method for creating a stable optical interface” Method of stabilizing the optical interface to the skin for OCT glucose monitoring.
#8,036,727 “Methods for noninvasively measuring analyte levels in a subject”
#8,306,596 “Method for data reduction and calibration of an OCT-based physiological monitor” #7,822,452 “Method for data reduction and calibration of an OCT-based blood glucose monitor”
Application #20050144968 “MEMS based micro vapor compression refrigeration system for microelectronic and photonic thermal control” A micro sized vapor compression refrigeration system on a silicon chip.
#7,510,849 “OCT based method for diagnosis and therapy” Basic patent for OCT glucose monitor. #7,254,429 “Method and apparatus for monitoring glucose levels in a biological tissue”
#6,835,004 “Optoelectronic Component Packaging” New configuration for a hybrid integrated laser -electroabsorption modulator package.
#6,210,546 “Fixture With at Least One Trough and Method of Using the Fixture in a Plasma or Ion Beam” which allows ion beam etching to improve solderability of optical or electronic components.
#6,323,987 “Controlled Multi-wavelength Etalon” which allows the automated assembly of a close tolerance wavelength locker without active angle tuning or alignment.
#6,218,641 “Method for Compensating Stress Induced in an Optical Component” A technique of laser hammering an optical component to reduce stress induced birefringence.
#6,252,251 “Raised Photodetector with Recessed Light Responsive Region” a method of adapting a silicon optical bench to allow some light past the back monitor for control purposes.
#D 293,321 “Telephone Stand”
#D 293,441 “Telephone Stand”
#4,534,776 “Air Cleaner” A technology to control dust in electronic enclosures without filter change out. Additional Provisional and Utility Patent Applications have been filed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES AND PRESENTATIONS
Baker, Kevin C., Shakespeare, Walter J., Schurman, Matthew J., “Relationship of skin microperfusion with OCT-based blood glucose monitoring,” Proceedings of SPIE, Vol. 7186, [7186-04], January 2009.
Schurman M, Shakespeare W, Wilkins RG, Merkle L, Herr D, Wilson R. “Initial validation of optical coherence tomography based sensor for monitoring of blood glucose levels.” Critical Care Medicine. 2005; 12 (Suppl) A73.
W. Jeffrey Shakespeare, Raymond A. Pearson, Joachim L. Grenestedt, Parsaoran Hutapea, Vikas Gupta, “MEMS Integrated Submount Alignment for Optoelectronics,” Special Issue J. of Lightwave Technol., Vol. 23 Issue 2, pp.504- (2005).
W. Jeffrey Shakespeare, Raymond A. Pearson, Joachim L. Grenestedt, Parsaoran Hutapea, Vikas Gupta, “MEMS Integrated Submount Alignment for Optoelectronics,” Presented at the Optoelectronics Device Packaging Topical Workshop and Exhibition, October 11-14, 2004.
W. Jeffrey Shakespeare, “MEMS Vapor Compression Refrigerator for Optoelectronic Packaging,” Presented at the International Microelectronic and Packaging Society New England 31st Annual Symposium & Exhibition, May 6th, 2004.
W. Jeffrey Shakespeare, “Thermal Design of Optoelectronic Packages” Presented at the Minnowbrook Microelectronics Conference for 2003, October 2, 2003.
W. Jeffrey Shakespeare, “Thermal Design of Optoelectronic Packages,” Presented at the International Microelectronics and Packaging Society Advanced Technology Workshop & Exhibition on Optoelectronics Device Packaging, October 9, 2003.
W. Jeffrey Shakespeare, “The Optics of Optoelectronics,” Presented at the International Microelectronics and Packaging Society Keystone Regional Symposium, June 5th, 2003.
W-J Choi, A. Bond, J. Kim, J. Zhang, R. Jambunathan, H. Foulk, S. O’Brien, J. Van Norman, D. Vandegrift, C. Wanamaker, J. Shakespeare, H. Cao, “Low Insertion Loss and Low Dispersion Penalty InGaAsP Quantum-Well High Speed Electroabsorption Modulator for 40-Gb/s Very-Short-Reach, Long-Reach, and Long-Haul Applications,” J. Lightwave Technol., vol. 20, no. 12, December, 2002.
W. Jeffrey Shakespeare, “Alignment in Opto Packaging,” Presented at the International Microelectronic and Packaging Society Keystone Regional Symposium, June 6, 2002.
W. Jeffrey Shakespeare, “Optical Alignment in Optoelectronic Components,” Invited paper, presented at the International Microelectronic and Packaging Society New England 29th Annual Symposium and Exhibition, May 1, 2002.
W. Jeffrey Shakespeare, “Optical Alignment in Optoelectronic Components,” Advancing Microelectronics, vol. 29, no. 1, January/February 2002.
W. Jeffrey Shakespeare, “Joining Technologies in Optoelectronic Packaging,” Presented at the International Microelectronic and Packaging Society 2001 Keystone Symposium, June 7, 2001.
W. J. Shakespeare, “A Small Team Approach to Manufacturing Excellence,” Presented at the Lehigh University Center for Manufacturing Systems Engineering 9th Conference with Industry, May 23-24, 1995.
W. J. Shakespeare, K. J. Kennedy, “Heat Transfer in Combined Horizontal Free and Forced Convection in a Duct with Two Local Heat Sources,” Presented at the ASME Winter Annual Meeting, January, 1983.
W. J. Shakespeare, H. Echaniz, “Flow Regimes in Combined Horizontal Free and Forced Convection with Two Local Heat Sources,” Presented at the 35th Meeting of the American Physical Society, Div. of Fluid Dynamics, Nov 21-23, 1982.
W. J. Shakespeare, E. K. Levy, “Laminar Boundary Layer Near the Rotating End Wall of a Confined Vortex,” J. Fluids Engr., vol. 104, June 1982.
W. J. Shakespeare, E. K. Levy, “Pressure Drop in a Confined Vortex with High Flow Rate,” ASME WAM, Symposium on Vortex Flow, Nov. 17, 1980.
Levy, E. K., Shakespeare, W. J., Tabatabaie-Raissi, A., and Chen, C. J., “Particle Elutriation from Centrifugal Fluidized Beds,” AIChE 72nd Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA, Nov. 1979.
W. J. Shakespeare, E. K. Levy, J. C. Chen and V. Kadambi, “Analysis of Power Cycles with Centrifugal Fluidized Bed Coal Combustion,” Presented at the 12th Intersociety Energy Conversion Engineering Conference, August 28, 1977.