Nonlinear dynamics of spatiotemporal optical waves

The purpose of this talk is to highlight the use of optical fiber and waveguide experiments, where optical pulse propagation can be modeled by simple, and yet universal nonlinear evolution equations as a simply accessible test bed for exploring, in a well controlled manner, the dynamics of complex phenomena that exhibit extreme events. Nonlinear guided wave optics provides a practical platform for the accessible statistical study of extreme event generation in diverse domains of science and applications