Photonics North brings together more than 500 researchers and industry professionals

Photonics North attracted a record-breaking 578 registered attendees from 25 countries to this year’s annual conference, demonstrating the global impact and collaborative nature of the photonics industry.

The conference, which aims to strengthen the connections between theory and application and build stronger ties between university research and industry needs was held June 12-15, 2023, in Montreal, Quebec.

Kicking off with a welcome from Ebrahim Karimi, Conference Chair and Co-Director of the Nexus for Quantum Technologies Institute at the University of Ottawa, the conference included a staggering 419 presentations, from poster and oral presentations, to contributed and invited speaker sessions, to keynotes, tutorials and plenary talks. With nine scientific and technical streams and 12 industry-related events, this year’s conference was the most comprehensive gathering in its history.

“The wealth of knowledge shared was extraordinary and we are incredibly grateful to the speakers for their insightful contributions. The enthusiasm and passion displayed by the attendees truly reflected the immense growth and innovation within the photonics community,” said Kexing Liu, Executive Director of Photonics North 2023 and President and Executive Director of Photons Canada.

Industry-led events and networking
Photons Canada was proud to participate in the conference in a number of capacities, from serving on the conference steering committee to exhibiting to supporting the introduction of industry-led events.

Among the industry-led events were a CMC/Photons Canada workshop on how to start a company in photonics, which uncovered the opportunities and challenges of starting a company in the photonics sector. The Photons Canada Pitch Competition was an opportunity to highlight big photonics ideas that are in their pre-seed stage of funding. A lunch and learn session aimed to raise awareness regarding the identification of security risks and how best to protect research and innovations from external threats.

Other industry-led events included open sessions to discuss and comment on a photonics roadmap, student-industry speed networking, a symposium on technology and market trend, a panel on commercializing photonic technologies, and more.

In addition to the sessions, workshops and other presentations, the conference provided a number of opportunities for attendees to network with colleagues across both academia and industry.

Looking ahead
While Photonics North 2023 has only just concluded, we are already eagerly looking ahead. During the welcome, it was announced that next year’s Photonics North will be held in Western Canada. We look forward to seeing everyone again soon!

“Thank you to everyone who participated. You made Photonics North 2023 an unforgettable experience. Let’s keep the momentum going and continue to make a positive impact in our industry and the world,” said Dr Liu.