Simon Jappe Lange

Describe your field of work and current role
I work as an assistant professor with innovation and commercialization of infrared technologies at the Department of Electrical and Photonics Engineering at DTU. My specialty is to create technologies capable of emitting and detecting light at far-infrared frequencies, called terahertz. I bring these technologies to market either with established companies or via spin-outs from university. I currently also hold the role of CEO and co-founder of Denmark’s first terahertz company. I have a vision of bringing terahertz technology to every person in the world and my starting point is to create an entire ecosystem of terahertz companies in Denmark.

What has your path been from starting at university until today?
I started university in 2009 at SDU. I dropped out and started at DTU in 2010 because the academic level at SDU was too low. I spent my first 2 years as a DTU student starting up a company on the side within the temporary worker’s business. Due to this side effort, my grades suffered. After a full year external stay in Brazil, I came back for a master’s degree at DTU. I held 12 TA positions over 18 months on the side to catch up on all important courses from my bachelor degree and earn money to travel to summer schools and conferences in the summer. I took a 6 month internship at the Innovation Center Denmark in Silicon Valley before doing my master’s thesis at Stanford University. I got awarded best thesis in Denmark within optics and photonics in 2016 and was awarded a PhD scholarship at DTU. I spent those 3 years working on a technology with a large Japanese company. Afterwards I raised 8M DKK from the company to fund me and two others as post-docs and started developing a new technology that ultimately led to the formation of two companies in Denmark.

What can be done to strengthen applied STEM research & innovation in Denmark?
The most important thing is to find ways to pay researchers to do applied research with the focus on innovation. This payment is not to cover running costs, but actual salary for extended periods of time (several years). On top, there should be an official acceptance that such researchers are working towards leaving their academic position, instead of being trapped in a tenure scheme. All in all, the transition from academia to industry and back should be more seamless.

What will you use your YATSI membership for?
I first and foremost would like to be part of a higher agenda for society within promoting applied research. I believe that universities host a long list of valuable technologies that we can exploit under the right conditions. I secondly plan to establish collaborations broadly with both other YATSI members and the YATSI network to spread terahertz technology out to the whole world.

Who's the person behind the member?
Male, 35 years old, wife and a child, house and car. I have set up the framework for my life to be calm and safe. This is the best platform for me to realize the best private and professional side of myself. I love travelling the world and plan to live abroad for many years – however, Denmark will always be my base long-term. I am generally very intrinsically motivated to do the things that I put in my life, which gives me a deep sense of meaning and happiness.