The Fermi Prize 2015 in the International Year of Light
The 2015 Enrico Fermi Prize of the Italian Physical Society [SIF] has been awarded to Toshiki Tajima and Diederik Wiersma with the following citation:
“For their innovative and high-impact contributions to the study of phenomena dealing with the interaction of light with matter and particles“.
In particular:
– to Toshiki Tajima, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA, “for the invention of the laser-wakefield-acceleration technique which led to a large number of fundamental and interdisciplinary applications ranging from accelerator science to plasma physics and astrophysics“;
– to Diederik Wiersma, University of Florence, Italy, and National Institute of Optics of the Italian National Research Council [INO-CNR] and European Laboratory for Non-Linear Spectroscopy[LENS], “for the first observation of Anderson localisation and of anomalous transport phenomena described by Lévy statistics in the framework of his highly original research on light propagation in disordered media“.
International Year of Light news
Queen Letizia of Spain to chair the Honorary Committee of the International Year of Light in Spain
IYL 2015 African Regional Conference celebrated in Ghana
SPIE People’s Choice winning photo illustrates life with little access to electricity
GalileoMobile’s new documentary celebrates Cosmic Light
Inauguration of PETAL at the French Megajoule Laser Facility
On 29 May 2015, PETAL, (PETawatt Aquitaine Laser), delivered a power of 1.2 Petawatt (one million billion Watts). Supplying almost 1000 Joules of optical energy during less than 1 picosecond (1 psec = 10-12 sec.), thus making PETAL the first facility to overcome the Petawatt power barrier at the highest energy level within one beamline. It becomes the most powerful kilojoule-class laser in the world to date. Part of the Megajoule Laser Facility [LMJ] near Bordeaux, France, this instrument positions the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission [CEA] in a leading position worldwide for building and exploiting powerful lasers.
IYL 2015 Best Practice Exchange Event
On 9 October 2015 the German Physical Society [DPG] organized a meeting between National Node representatives of the International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies 2015 [IYL 2015] at the Magnus Haus in Berlin, Germany. The focus of the meeting was to exchange best practices examples of IYL 2015 activities and events, resulting sustainable development and possible further cooperative actions for the future.
Light & Life
“Light & Life” was the title of an international symposium held with great success on 21 and 22 July in the prestigious setting of Villa Monastero (Varenna, Lake Como, Italy). The reports presented by Italian and foreign experts – among them Robert A. Lieberman, President Elect of SPIE, the International Society for Optics & Photonics -, and which are now available on the website of the Italian Physical Society (SIF), embraced many areas of basic and applied research based on light sources (from the Sun to common light bulbs, from extreme power lasers to synchrotrons) and their effects (in analysis and investigation techniques, such as microscopy and sensor technology, as well as directly on biological processes).
International Year of Light news
The École Polytechnique in France has released the song ‘Step into the Light a remarkable musical tribute to the International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies 2015 (IYL 2015).
Step into the Light is an original composition urging the citizens of the world to step up and help to spread the message about the importance of light and optical technologies in their lives, for their futures, and for the development of society. The song has a chorus based on a simple melody and the composers are asking interested groups around the world to get involved. One way to participate is to record yourself singing this chorus in your own language and with your choice of traditional instruments. We will collate all contributions into a special recording for the end of the International Year and this will be your chance to have your contribution preserved for history!
Lecture series at the University of Oslo Library
The International Year of Light and Light Technologies is celebrated by a series of lectures at the University of Oslo Library. This fall, the series continue as follows, given by:
• Torunn Kjeldstad, Center of material science and nanotechnology, on solar cells, a hot topic in renewable energy, 1 September 2015.
• Mats Carlsson, Department of Theoretical Astrophysics, on the sunlight – a key to knowledge, 6 October 2015,
• Johan E. Moan, Department of Physics, on sun and health, 3 November 2015,
• Pål Brekke, Norwegian Space Center, on the Aurora – from myths to tourist attraction, 1 December 2015.
XXIX ICPEAC in Toledo
The 29th International Conference on Photonic, Electronic and Atomic Collisions [XXIX ICPEAC] was held at the Palacio de Congresos “El Greco”, Toledo, Spain, on 22–28 July, 2015. ICPEAC is held biannually and is one of the most important international conferences on atomic and molecular physics. The conference gathered 670 participants from 52 countries.
During the conference, 854 contributed papers were presented in poster sessions, covering the recent progresses in photonic, electronic, and atomic collisions with matter (most of them can now be checked at online at J. Phys. Conf. Series, 635 (see http://iopscience.iop.org/1742-6596/635). In addition, five plenary lectures, including the opening one by the Nobel laureate Prof. Ahmed H. Zewail and the lectures by Prof. Maciej Lewenstein, Prof. Paul Scheier, Prof. Philip H. Bucksbaum, and Prof. Stephen J. Buckman, 62 progress reports and 26 special reports were presented.
School competition “Incredible Light Machine” – the winners!
In the school competition “Incredible Light Machine” [Die unglaubliche Licht-Maschine], kids from all over Germany were encouraged to submit videos of self-made “incredible machines”. The winner is the team “The Incredible Eight” from Luitpold-Gymnasium in Munich.
Bad Honnef / Cologne, 10 August 2015 – Sometimes it simply needs a little push to get things going. The German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the German Physical Society (DPG) have initiated a school competition in order to inspire teenagers for physics and technology in a hands-on fashion. In the school competition “Incredible Light Machine” (Die unglaubliche Licht-Maschine), kids from all over Germany were encouraged to submit videos of self-made “incredible machines”. The vast number of submitted movies and the creativity of the teams from 193 schools made it very difficult for the jury to name the winner. Finally, the team “The incredible Eight” from Luitpold-Gymnasium in Munich – six girls and two boys, who built a truly “incredible light machine” – came out on top.
Optics in the Land of Morning Calm
The Optical Society of Korea [OSK] held its annual meeting from 13-15 July 2015 in Gyeongju, the ancient capital of Korea located in the south of the country. This conference brought together physicists working in optics and laser-matter interaction. While most of participants came from Asia, some traveled from the US and Europe to celebrate both the 25th Anniversary of OSK and the International Year of Light. Presidents and official representatives of many learned societies (The Optical Society – OSA, IEEE, SPIE, EPS, the Japanese Society of Applied Physics) willingly answered the invitation of the OSK managers to address this meeting and debated the future of light in the world and more particularly in Korea.
International Year of Light news
Join the Global celebration of the Weekend of Light on 25-28 September 2015.
Join iSPEX-EU and Measure Air Pollution with your Smartphone.
LIGHT2015 – Lighting the Future Video.
Hamamatsu launches an educational website about light in celebration of the International Year of Light
IYL 2015 at the Zurich Science Days “Scientifica15″
The Zurich Science Days “Scientifica15″ will take place from 4-6 September 2015.
