SPIE Optics + Photonics Digital Forum opens with free access to 2,000 talks

26 Aug 2020

Online conference with 7,000 attendees NOW engaging with on-demand presentations, live plenaries, and other interactive sessions.

Since August 24th, SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics, has been hosting its Optics + Photonics Digital Forum with more than 6,700 registered attendees on day one and the expectation of more attendees joining throughout the week. There will be further detailed coverage of the event this week and next on optics.org.

The first day’s activities – which can bee seen in the event’s online archive on the SPIE Digital Library – include live plenaries by ultrafast laser pioneer Ursula Keller; CNRS Research Director Hélène Perrin; Cornell University's Gennady Shvets; Yale University's Hui W. Cao; and the University of Toronto's Edward H. Sargent.

In just one day, the forum saw more than 3,700 viewings of conference presentations, and a considerable amount of discussion among attendees from around the world via Zoom and Slack channels.

The online conference, which runs through Friday, 28 August, after which presentations will continue to be accessible via the website, includes over 1,200 on-demand technical presentations, 300 posters, and 900 manuscripts across three tracks: Nanoscience and Engineering Applications, Organic Photonics and Electronics, and Optical Engineering and Applications.

Digital exhibition

There is a digital exhibition space with product demos showcasing the latest in optics and photonics technologies. In addition to the technical sessions, live networking activities and panel discussions are planned throughout the week to help people connect and explore ideas.

Also available for viewing during the Forum is the Society's Annual General Meeting, during which Microsoft's Bernard Kress was inducted into the SPIE presidential chain and new board members announced.

In addition, SPIE is offering a program of affordable, continuing-education courses covering related topics, including "Practical Optical System Design," "Optical Materials, Fabrication, and Testing for the Optical Engineer," and "Optical Elements with Adhesives."

"Of course, we wish we were meeting in person in San Diego for what is traditionally known as the SPIE annual meeting," commented SPIE Senior Director of Technical Programs and Proceedings Marilyn Gorsuch. "But we are delighted to offer our Optics + Photonics Digital Forum to all registered attendees and authors at no charge during this challenging time.

“We appreciate that our community crosses the globe and multiple time zones, and many are juggling difficult circumstances. By offering over 1,200 presentations on-demand with discussions, our community has easy access to the latest in photonics research as well as opportunities to connect with friends and colleagues."

Registration for the Digital Forum is free and includes ongoing access to all its content via the SPIE Digital Library.