SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics

Another year has come to an end, but Don't Stop Us Now: #PhotonicsWest is traveling at the speed of light, just weeks away. While we are Under Pressure to bring you the best event yet, we wanted to take time to re-introduce you to the four rockstars who make up the 2025 SPIE presidential chain: President Peter de Groot, President-Elect Julie Bentley, Vice President Cather Simpson, and Immediate Past President Jennifer Barton. 🎸 Be sure to say hello to these Cool Cats if you see them around the Moscone Center in San Francisco! 👋

Dreaming of discussing optics in Glasgow? 🔮 We have good news: post-deadline submissions are now open for #ETOP2025! ETOP (Education and Training in Optics and Photonics) is a conference held every two years that brings together leading optics and photonics educators from all levels and orientations to discuss, demonstrate, and learn about new developments and approaches to teaching in these fields. ✅ Paper submission deadline: 21 April 2025 Find all the details here: https://lnkd.in/en4QAcEs ETOP 2025 is brought to you by Optica, #SPIE, IEEE Photonics Society, and the University of Strathclyde. Akhil Kallepalli

Could #lasers help keep our honeybee populations healthy and free from Varroa mites? 🐝 "The Varroa mite is a parasite that attaches itself to the body of a honeybee and feeds on its fat stores, weakening the bee so that it can’t fend off sickness." Enter Francesco Merola’s laser curtain, a groundbreaking intervention that could revolutionize pest management in beekeeping. Installed at the entrance of a hive, this device scans incoming bees, detects mites, and zaps them with a precision laser without harming the bees. With 35% of the global food supply dependent on pollinators, innovations like this could be critical in safeguarding both agriculture and ecosystems. Read more in the March/April issue of #PhotonicsFocus: https://lnkd.in/gaNZY4ud

What does it take to move #biophotonics from the lab bench to real-world clinical impact? Jennifer Barton has spent her career answering that question. Barton, director of the BIO5 Institute at the University of Arizona and senior advisory editor of Biophotonics Discovery (BIOS), and Travis Sawyer, assistant professor at the U of A and Associate Editor of BIOS, recently sat down to discuss everything from developing OCT systems to making science accessible. Plus, hear Dr. Barton's thoughts on staying curious, even when you're not in the lab! 📺 Watch the full conversation: https://lnkd.in/g4Hm2ghq Darren Roblyer

NEW IN 2025! ⚛️ SPIE Quantum Catalyst 🗓️ 12-13 November 2025 📍 Boulder, Colorado This two-day event will explore the current state and key challenges of building a robust supply chain for position, navigation, and timing, an impactful real-world application. Thank you to our local cooperating organizations: CUbit Quantum Initiative of the University of Colorado Boulder, CPIA (Colorado Photonics Industry Association), and Elevate Quantum. More information coming soon! Stay tuned. https://lnkd.in/g7dZj22Z

Join us for the April Henri Poincare Webinar with Harald Gießen of University of Stuttgart.

From zoology to laser physics, this week’s #WiOWednesday feature is shaping the future of photonics in Africa and beyond! 🌍 Meet Prof. Patience Mthunzi-Kufa, OMB, Biophotonics Research Head at the Photonics Centre, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in South Africa. Her work includes leading a research group, managing projects, securing funding, teaching #biophotonics, contributing to science policy, and advocating for Africa’s presence in global photonics and optics research. "Africa is such a rich continent: I want my name to be documented as one of the history-makers in Africa; I want to take Africa to international platforms. I want to be remembered as an educator, to be known for using photonics and optics to improve the quality of life for people in Africa." Her advice to the next generation of #WomenInSTEM is to ask many questions, surround themselves with experienced mentors, and love what they do! Read her profile in the 2025 #SPIE Women in Optics notebook: https://lnkd.in/g_z3dV4H

Get ready for the #SPIEDCS Welcome Reception! 🎉 Join us next week to relax, connect, and celebrate with fellow attendees. Whether you're meeting new faces or reconnecting with colleagues, it’s the perfect way to wrap up the day and kick off the week on a high note. Add it to your schedule: https://lnkd.in/dSUdEFHn

Get ready for the 2025 #SPIEDCS exhibition! Join us next week to see the latest advancements in positioning equipment, optical systems, lasers, cameras, and more. Learn more about what industry leaders like Corning Incorporated, OZ Optics Ltd., Boston Electronics, and Thorlabs are bringing to the show. This is your chance to discover cutting-edge technologies, network with industry experts, and build valuable connections. Don’t miss out; join us in Orlando from April 15-17! Get your free exhibit badge here: https://lnkd.in/gFsbPttc

Check out the new open access review in #SPIE_JEI: a comprehensive survey of traditional and deep learning approaches to the new and growing field of monocular depth estimation methods. https://lnkd.in/gZG9amKw