Photonics Europe 2014 was held in the Square Meeting Centre in Brussels.
Photonics Europe is the largest and broadest European photonics event presenting leading research in optics, lasers, micro- and nanotechnologies. With its product exhibition, reports of the European commission on funding initiatives, as well as an expanded industry program, the congress provides an ideal platform for networking, technology transfer and business opportunities. It was held in The SQUARE Brussels meeting centre right before Easter, sponsored by SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics.
At the Photonics Europe Exhibition, which was open Tuesday and Wednesday, 77 companies presented their newest products and innovations. Here scientists, engineers, and the business side of photonics come together, which allowed direct information exchange and personal contact.
The congress included about 1200 presentations in the technical program, which were spread over 18 conferences covering topics such as nanophotonics, organic photonics, photonics for solar energy systems, and quantum optics. A session on neurophotonics was included as part of the conference entitled “Biophotonics: Photonic Solutions for Better Health Care” for the first time this year. “Optical microscopy methods are fast becoming central to neurobiological research, leading to fascinating research discoveries and stimulating conceptual advances,” said Prof. Jürgen Popp from University of Jena, co-chair of the Biophotonics conference and editor-in-chief of the Journal of Biophotonics.
In addition to the exhibition and conferences, Photonics Europe offers workshops, seminars and industry events that maximize the opportunities for collaboration and technology commercialization, and allow the next generation of optics experts to assess their career options. Brussels with its close connection to the European commission offers the ideal environment for such a meeting. During the hot topics sessions Wolfgang Boch gave an update on Horizon 2020, the EU’s Framework Programme for Research and Innovation throughout 2014-2020.
“For the coming congresses we will be focusing even more on networking events and on an even stronger industry program embedded in the scientific program” said Karin Burger, Manager of SPIE Europe. With a great event this year, and promising prospects for Photonics Europe in 2016, we are looking forward to an ongoing exchange of innovation and discoveries in the area of optics and photonics in Europe.
