Dr. Gregor K. Esser, obtained his PhD degree in the Program in Optical Engineering at the Technical University of Catalonia (UPC). His PhD thesis titled "Derivation of analytical refraction, propagation and reflection equations for Higher Order Aberrations of wavefronts" and directed by Dr. Josep Arasa (UPC) and Dr. Peter Baumbach (Aalen University), has been awarded the UPC Special Award 2014 to the best PhD Thesis.

This award is supported by the high quality of the scientific and technological outputs derived from this thesis, evidenced by several papers published in international scientific journals, patents and international conferences in which he has participated.

Currently Dr. G.K. Esser works at the German company Rodenstock where develops the results of the thesis. This line has also resulted in the achievement of a European project funded by the 7th Framework Programme of the European Commission in which different companies and universities take part.