SubOptic Symposium Americas 2022

Thinking about where you land next?

Ride the wave into the future and consider becoming part of the undersea cable industry. The Submarine Cables—Ride the Wave webinar series is the way to learn about how you can help connect the world and the exciting opportunities the submarine industry has to offer. This four-session webinar series will be packed with insights from experts on how undersea cables make everything you do online possible and why those involved are making a difference.

Areas of expertise within the submarine industry

SESSION 1

September 27, 4:00pm-6:00pm ET
The Undersea Cloud
Looking for internet? Don't look up, look down.

In this introductory session, you’ll learn all about what makes the submarine cable world special: the continents and people the cables connect, who buys, builds and services them, the technology that goes into making them work, the challenges in building this critical infrastructure, what happens when cables are accidentally cut, why they’re so vital to the world today, and how they contribute to a more sustainable future for everyone.

Speakers

Elaine Stafford, Managing Partner, DRG Undersea Consulting

Lane Burdette, Research Analyst, TeleGeography Research

SESSION 2

September 29, 4:00pm-6:00pm ET
Building Across the Digital Divide
Do you have what it takes?

This session explores what it takes to build a cable system from start to finish—including assembling an international team of investors, financing hundreds of millions of dollars, engineering the network to often connect 10-20 countries through varied ocean environments, and assuring each fiber-optic connection provides robust, high-capacity communications. We’ll highlight an example of the world’s largest network now under construction, 2Africa, being built by Nokia and which will soon connect many of Africa’s coastal countries to the global internet backbone.

Speakers

Tim Stuch, SubSeaOptical Engineering, Meta

Cynthia Perret, Senior Infrastructure Program Manager, Meta

SESSION 3

October 4, 4:00pm-6:00pm ET
The Optics of Zooming Across the Seas
TikTok at the speed of light

This session focuses on optical and automation technologies allowing submarine cable operators to maintain pace with the world’s never-ending explosive demand for high-capacity internet communications. Learn how new and innovative technologies are enabling submarine cables to transmit over vast transoceanic distances at unprecedented capacities. You’ll hear firsthand how submarine network engineers solve complex challenges to ensure critical submarine network infrastructure continues to meet the needs of the present and future as the world increasingly depends on cloud-based communications and applications for both business and personal lives.

Speaker

Priyanth Mehta, PhD, Senior Manager, Photonic Systems, Ciena

SESSION 4

October 6, 4:00pm-6:00pm ET
Cruising Without a Wake
Staying Green in the Deep Blue Sea

This final session focuses on the marine environment. You’ll learn how marine experts survey the ocean floor to plan, engineer, and install each individual cable route to be secure and environmentally responsible. You’ll hear about the special-purpose survey vessels, cable ships, seafloor plows, and submersible robotic vehicles that support burying the cable safely beneath the ocean floor. You’ll also hear from environmental experts, permitting experts and industry leaders working to improve the submarine cable’s already minimal carbon footprint.

Speakers

Stephen Arsenault, Director Global Subsea Solutions, IT Telecoms

Dr. Mike Clare, Environmental Advisor, International Cable Protection Committee

Dr. Lorraine Gray, Permitting Manager, Pioneer Consulting

Nicole Starosielski, Associate Professor, NYU