EOS announces ‘Light 2015 Awards’ for young photonics innovators

03 Mar 2015

Competition invites budding entrepreneurs and young women in photonics. Winners to be named at Laser 2015.

The European Optical Society, within the LIGHT2015 project, has announced a competition to honor young photonics experts for their contributions to the field, by sponsoring two new awards:

• The LIGHT2015 Young Photonics Entrepreneur Award to recognize an individual who has made outstanding technical and/or innovative contributions to the photonics industry.
• The LIGHT2015 Young Women in Photonics Award to recognize a young female scientist who has made outstanding contributions to photonics.

The technical and innovative contributions from entrepreneurs, as well as the contributions from female scientists are being celebrated during the International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies 2015. EOS says the awards are to highlight the significance of photonics in industry and the contributions of women to this diverse field of science. Both awards consist of a diploma and an honorarium of €2500.

The award winners will be announced and presentations made at the Laser World of Photonics Congress in Munich, Germany, which will be held between 21 - 25 June, 2015. A special LIGHT2015 networking event will also take place at the congress, bringing together students and the communities of science and industry.

To qualify for the Young Photonics Entrepreneur Award, any entrepreneur under 37 years old, at the time of the presentation of the award, who is active in the field of photonics may enter the competition. The LIGHT2015 Young Women in Photonics Award is open to any woman under 37 years old, at the time of presentation, who is active in the field of photonics.

Candidates should send the completed application form, which is accessible on Light205 website with up to two letters of support (from a supervisor or mentor), a short (2 page) biography/CV, a list of publications, a description of the contribution (not exceeding 2 pages of A4, 12 point text) to Ms. Elina Koistinen, koistinen@myeos.org

About The European Optical Society

The purpose of the European Optical Society (EOS) is to contribute to progress in optics and related sciences, and to promote their applications at the European and international levels, by bringing together individuals and legal entities involved in these disciplines and their applications. EOS serves as the joint forum for all individuals, companies, organizations, educational institutions, and learned and professional societies, who recognise the opportunity and challenge that a common European base provides for the development of optics in its broadest sense.

About the Author

Matthew Peach is a contributing editor to optics.org.