Prof. Dr.-Ing. Michael Schmidt has held the Chair of Photonic Technologies at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) since it was founded in 2009. In 2002 he completed his doctorate on the subject of "Process control for laser beam spot welding in electronics production" and became then a member of the board of directors of Bayerische Laserzentrum GmbH, which he has been managing director since January 2005. His current research interests include laser applications from the microscopic to the macroscopic scale in the fields of industrial manufacturing, additive manufacturing and medical technology.