The International Day of Light (IDL) is a global initiative that provides a focal point for the continued appreciation of light. IDL aims to raise awareness of the critical role that light-based technologies play in our lives, elevating science, technology, art, and culture to help achieve the goals of UNESCO – education, equality, and peace.
With its engaging, real-life profiles and interviews, the "Possible Through Light" campaign extends an invitation to future generations of scientists, technicians, engineers, and industry leaders to consider the remarkable technological advancements that can be achieved with a career in optics.
Meet Jessie Christiansen, a NASA scientist working on detecting and characterizing exoplanets; Matthew Weed, a Luminar engineer and product strategist working on lidar sensors for automotive safety; and Paula Kirya, an undergraduate student in bioengineering, whose career vignettes will inspire the next generation of technicians, scientists, and engineers.
We partner annually with IEEE Photonics Society and Optica to promote the importance of light-based technologies and interesting careers in optics and photonics, while raising awareness of the annual IDL celebration on 16 May.
The 2023 SPIE International Day of Light Photo Contest resulted in a tremendous number of images celebrating how light and light-based technologies play in daily life, spanning science, engineering, and nature. Check out the award-winning images!
Free resources to view and download, including the official International Day of Light logo, social media assets, digital wallpapers, and lesson plans to experiment with light.
