SPIE seeks new date for Photonics Europe event

12 Mar 2020

Postponed conference and technology exhibition was due to take place at the end of March.

SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics (and publisher of optics.org), is seeking to arrange a new date for its Photonics Europe conference and technology exhibition.

After the French government announced a ban on all events with more than 1000 attendees, part of its response to the coronavirus outbreak, the society took the decision to postpone the meeting. It had been scheduled to take place in Strasbourg March 29 through April 2.

“SPIE Photonics Europe is officially postponed,” posted the society on the event’s web site on March 8. “The health and safety of our community is of utmost importance to us and our hearts go out to those being affected by the current outbreak.”

It added: “SPIE is actively working with our event leadership, volunteers, and the hosting facility to organize an event at a future date, and will be reaching out to all authors, exhibitors, and registered attendees with more info very soon.”

SPIE is offering full refunds or credit to all registered attendees, exhibitors, sponsors, and course takers who had signed up to Photonics Europe.

The society is also carrying out a survey of Photonics Europe attendees, as it looks to arrange a suitable future date for the event.