In recent years, following the first detection of Gravitational Waves (GWs), we have witnessed the birth of GW Astronomy. So far, there have been more than 50 events recorded, providing us with invaluable information about the nature of the merging binaries. An exceptional case is the event GW170817, a Neutron Star merger, which was observed with both gravitational and electromagnetic (EM) waves. From a single event alone, by combining both ways of observation, we were able to vastly improve our understanding of such cataclysmic events. In the near future, in particular, in the early 2030s, the ESA Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) is going to be launched. LISA is a space-borne Gravitational-Wave observatory that, in contrast to the present ground-based detectors, is going to be signal-dominated. The LISA data will give us the unique opportunity to observe the merger of supermassive black hole binary systems, which in combination with the EM observations will enable us to push our knowledge boundaries in astronomy, astrophysics, and cosmology. With EMILIA, we aspire to enable multi-messenger astronomy with LISA, by developing a low-latency data analysis pipeline based on Machine Learning techniques. Our proposed methodology will take into account the source confusion problem of LISA, where monochromatic signals and noise artefacts are going to be classified as such and subtracted from the data. We will then apply a fast semi-analytical algorithm on the residual data, in order to swiftly estimate the sky position and time of coalescence of chirping signals. Such a scheme will enable the synergy of LISA and optical observatories on Earth and in space. A prime example is that of the LISA-Athena missions synergy, which would probe the existence of electromagnetic counterpart of massive black hole mergers and extreme mass ratio inspirals, or phenomena like X-ray flares, disk re-brightening, and relativistic jet formations.

Humanity envisions the future world with cars driving themselves, the holograms in video conferences, augmented reality used everywhere to assist our daily life, and the list continues. The previous generation of mobile networks could not support such applications, and so the redesign of the network was decided with the 5th generation (5G) network standardization. In the redesigned network topology the signal processing previously occurred on the antenna site was moved to a central location and virtualized. This disaggregation allowed advanced functionalities and reduce the cost of antenna sites. On the other hand, it generated the need for a very fast and low latency connection between these disaggregated units (fronthaul) which cannot be supported with current wireless technologies and so only the fiber can be used. The MIMOSA aims to combine concepts from the RF world with integrated photonics for producing and demonstrating a compact electronically reconfigurable optical MIMO radiating system. The multibeam feeding network and the radiating elements, antennas, will be designed as a single monolithic photonic chip, which will reduce significantly the cost and form factor of the system. A system with at least 8 controllable beams will be designed. With the researcher’s background lying in the field of RF and wireless communications, his close collaboration with a host institute with strong expertise in the field of photonics provides the optimal framework for translating wireless needs into optically-enabled realities. Such a multibeam steerable MIMO system is expected to offer high availability links operating in real-life atmospheric conditions offering capacities higher than 50Gbps for up to 1000m link distance. The project will generate a framework for the implementation of high data rate optical wireless links capable to support 5G and beyond fronthaul requirements while reducing the cost, mass, form factor, and power consumption of the links.