“Our Future is Light” Campaign Kicks off 2022 International Day of Light
An action-packed video styled as a blockbuster-movie trailer provides the linchpin for this year’s International Day of Light (IDL) campaign, “Our future is light. Play your part.” Released today, Day of Light features diverse characters successfully solving global-level problems using photonics-enabled technologies.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220516005150/en/
Sponsored by SPIE, Optica, and IEEE Photonics Society, this year’s International Day of Light celebration showcases exciting, critical career opportunities in optics and photonics. (Graphic: Business Wire)
Three professional societies – SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics, IEEE Photonics Society, and Optica, Advancing Optics & Photonics Worldwide – partnered to create the video and the accompanying 2022 IDL campaign. “Our future is light. Play your part” promotes the importance of light-based technologies and interesting careers in optics and photonics, while raising awareness of the annual IDL celebration on 16 May. From technologies that improve vision and power smartphones to those that provide tools to study Earth and Space, from healthcare to communications at the speed of light, photonics is the key enabling technology of a brighter future.
The video, its look and feel inspired by the 2010 science-fiction thriller Inception, features Dawn, an optical-engineer action hero, who is busy saving the world with light-based technologies such as prisms, solar panels, spectral imaging, lasers, and lidar. The video also issues a lively invitation to real-life future scientists, technicians, engineers, and industry leaders: consider a career in photonics.
In conjunction with the video’s release, the related website includes an overview of the technologies mentioned in the film; depictions of professionals working in the field of optics and photonics, from optical engineers and laser technicians to academic researchers; and a selection of downloadable resources for education and careers.
“Many of the devices we use every day are comprised of light-based technologies made possible by the optics and photonics community,” said Optica CEO Elizabeth Rogan. “On the International Day of Light, we celebrate these contributions from our community and hope this celebration inspires others – particularly students – to study and work in light science and technology.”
“The International Day of Light is the perfect time to highlight the many varied and exciting career opportunities in optics and photonics,” noted SPIE CEO Kent Rochford. “Light-based technologies are providing much-needed solutions to some of our biggest global challenges and will continue to do so. This is a terrific time to be considering a career in the industry and we hope this year’s IDL campaign will reach and inspire future scientists, engineers, and technicians.”
"Each International Day of Light, we celebrate the long and rich history of optics and photonics that has brought so much to our everyday lives," said IEEE Photonics Society Executive Director Doug Razzano. "By continuing to advance light science and make known to the world the importance of the technologies derived from it, we will help to grow and support this vibrant technical community."
About the International Day of Light
The International Day of Light (IDL), celebrated annually on 16 May, is a global initiative highlighting the central role that light and light-based technologies play across science, culture, education, and sustainable development, in areas as diverse as medicine, communications, and energy. The 16 May date honors the anniversary of the first successful demonstration of a laser by physicist and engineer Theodore Maiman in 1960; the broad theme of light allows many different sectors of society worldwide to participate in activities that demonstrate how science, technology, and art, can help achieve the goals of UNESCO – education, equality, and peace. lightday.org.
About IEEE Photonics Society
The IEEE Photonics Society is the professional home for a global network of scientists, engineers and allied professionals who represent the laser, optoelectronics, and photonics community. As a Technical Society of the IEEE, the world’s largest technical professional organization dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity, the IEEE Photonics Society inspires community through highly cited publications, conferences, technology standards, and professional and educational activities. www.photonicssociety.org.
About Optica
Optica (formerly OSA), Advancing Optics and Photonics Worldwide, is the society dedicated to promoting the generation, application, archiving and dissemination of knowledge in the field. Founded in 1916, it is the leading organization for scientists, engineers, business professionals, students and others interested in the science of light. Optica’s renowned publications, meetings, online resources and in-person activities fuel discoveries, shape real-life applications and accelerate scientific, technical and educational achievement. Learn more at optica.org.
About SPIE
SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics, brings engineers, scientists, students, and business professionals together to advance light-based science and technology. The Society, founded in 1955, connects and engages with our global constituency through industry-leading conferences and exhibitions; publications of conference proceedings, books, and journals in the SPIE Digital Library; and career-building opportunities. Over the past five years, SPIE has contributed more than $22 million to the international optics community through our advocacy and support, including scholarships, educational resources, travel grants, endowed gifts, and public-policy development. www.spie.org.
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220516005150/en/
Contact information
Daneet Steffens
Public Relations Manager
daneets@spie.org
+1 360 685 5478
@SPIEtweets
Ashley Collier
Corporate Communications Manager
ACollier@optica.org
+1 202 416 1419
@OpticaWorldwide
Kristen Mahan
Marketing Manager
k.mahan@ieee.org
+1 732 562 6694
@IEEEPhotonics
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
First Cessna SkyCourier Delivered into Mexico, Expanding Air Freight Capabilities for FlexCoah22.12.2025 19:13:00 EET | Press release
The first Cessna SkyCourier in Mexico was recently delivered to cargo transportation provider FlexCoah for use by the company’s aviation subsidiary, Altair. The aircraft — a freighter variant — will expand the company’s air freight capabilities throughout the country. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251222890759/en/ First Cessna SkyCourier delivered into Mexico, expanding air freight capabilities for FlexCoah (Photo Credit: Textron Aviation) The Cessna SkyCourier is designed and manufactured by Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company. “The Cessna SkyCourier’s combination of reliability, payload capacity and mission flexibility makes it a powerful asset for operators looking to scale their operations while maintaining cost-efficiency,” said Lannie O’Bannion, senior vice president, Sales & Marketing. “The delivery of the Cessna SkyCourier to FlexCoah reflects the aircraft’s growing role in tran
Proudly Produced in Donegal: ProAmpac Invests in the Future of Food Board Manufacturing22.12.2025 18:34:00 EET | Press release
ProAmpac, a global leader in flexible packaging and material science, is strengthening its operational footprint with the expansion of Food Board manufacturing capabilities at its Donegal, Ireland campus. The addition of a new, purpose-built Food Board production area within the existing site reinforces ProAmpac’s commitment to innovation, efficiency, and customer service across the food packaging sector. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251222149380/en/ Carr & Sons Smoked Salmon - ProAmpac As an extension of the existing Donegal operations, which support the pet food, food-to-go, and CPG markets, the expanded production area increases capacity and precision. A state-of-the-art guillotine system delivers cleaner cuts and consistent board quality, ensuring every sheet meets ProAmpac’s performance standards. The expanded facility area introduces several key improvements for customers: Dedicated Customer Service T
Coherent Solutions closes strategic investment led by IceLake22.12.2025 17:07:00 EET | Press release
Coherent Solutions, a global digital engineering firm, has announced the closing of the strategic investment from IceLake, a leading private equity investor specializing in partnering with high-growth business services organizations. The transaction, previously announced in September 2025, has now received all necessary regulatory approvals. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251222791182/en/ Coherent Solutions and IceLake close strategic investment Coherent Solutions employs ~2,000 digital engineering, product, and design professionals across Europe and Latin America. The company builds and modernizes digital products and platforms for growing scale-ups and established global brands. “In a market saturated with AI claims, we’re seeing clients prioritize partners who can convert technology into measurable business outcomes,” said Igor Epshteyn, CEO of Coherent Solutions. “Staying grounded in digital value creatio
China Industry Leaders Convene in Jianshui to Chart the Blueberry Sector’s Growth Path22.12.2025 15:32:00 EET | Press release
The Third Yunnan Blueberry Conference and the release ceremony of the “Xinhua–Yunnan Honghe Blueberry Industry Development Index Report” opened on December 19 in Jianshui County, Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, in southwest China’s Yunnan Province. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251222516223/en/ The opening ceremony of the conference on 19th Dec in Jianshui. The conference has attracted scholars, experts, business representatives, and purchasers from across China, who have gathered here to explore pathways for promoting the high-quality development of the blueberry industry. During the three-day conference, organizers convened two major signing ceremonies: a cooperation agreement to jointly establish the Yunnan Blueberry Research Institute, and a strategic agreement to enhance financial support for the full industrial chain of Honghe blueberries. Outstanding organizations and individuals contributin
Modon Holding Forms Joint Venture With Related Companies and Panepinto Properties to Deliver Harborside 4, a Luxury Residential Tower Along the Waterfront in the Heart of Downtown Jersey City22.12.2025 15:17:00 EET | Press release
Modon Holding PSC (“Modon”) today announced a new joint venture to deliver Harborside 4, a 54-story residential tower on one of the last prime waterfront sites in downtown Jersey City, New Jersey, USA. Modon will hold a majority equity stake alongside leading US developer Related Companies and long-established Jersey City firm Panepinto Properties (the “Joint Venture”), marking a further milestone in the Group’s strategy to scale its diversified global portfolio. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251222455854/en/ Harborside 4 render (Photo: AETOSWire) Harborside 4, designed by Handel Architects, will bring 800 luxury rental apartments and condominiums to downtown Jersey City, with the building offering unobstructed views of the Manhattan skyline and premium lifestyle and hospitality amenities including a marquee fitness club and concierge services. The site is minutes from Manhattan via PATH cross-Hudson rail se
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom