Photonics for a Better World

WORKING TOWARD A CURE: PhD student Christopher Pacia  smiles for the camera Why haven't we found a cure for cancer yet? This is the question that motivates Christopher Pacia when he's doing research  in the  Chen Ultrasound Lab  at  Washington University in St. Louis  (WUSTL) . Pacia is a  PhD student in biomedical engineering, and his research focuses on  ultrasound imaging and therapy that can impact cancer patient care. "With a greater understanding of the brain, treatments can be more patient-specific," says Pacia. "In that way, they will also be more effective in improving the lives of those affected by the seemingly boundless complexity of neurological disorders." Pacia is the current Vice President of the SPIE Student Chapter at his university, under the supervision of 2019 SPIE Britton Chance Award winner, Dr. Samuel Achilefu . The chapter is involved in a variety of local outreach activities which, according to Pacia, is one of th...

The International Day of Light Logo Created by SPIE. The second International Day of Light (IDL) is only a few months away. Held on 16 May each year and organized by UNESCO, IDL is a global initiative for the continued appreciation of light and the role it plays in science, culture and art, education, and sustainable development.  The broad theme of light allows many different sectors of society worldwide to participate in activities that demonstrate how the science, technology, and artistic expression of light can help achieve the goals of UNESCO — education, equality and peace. SPIE enthusiastically supports the initiative and has created resources and funding opportunities to encourage local communities in creating their own celebration. New Resources from SPIE An example of a French Lesson Plan Worksheet: Diffraction Glasses. Demonstrate the science of light with SPIE IDL Outreach Activities. In partnership with SPIE Student Chapters, and various ...

This is a guest blog written by Michèle Moris and Charlotte Verstraete on behalf of the KU Leuven SPIE/OSA Student Chapter. Children’s University. Photo credit: ©KU Leuven | Rob Stevens Greetings from the KU Leuven SPIE/OSA Student Chapter in Belgium! We’d like to share with you how participating in outreach has shaped our chapter and given us hope for the future. We are fortunate in that our university has organized several annual events to help educate the public, especially children, about science. Last year we were able to contribute to two of these events: Children’s University and Day of Science. Future-focused Photonics Day At Children’s University, children aged 8 to 13 can walk in the shoes of university students for a day. They attend a scientific seminar, followed by a workshop that simulates lab work. At noon, they have lunch in the cafeteria, and a similar program of lectures and workshops is held in the afternoon. The only difference between this and real u...