Optics & Photonics Days 2023 gathered an international group of experts and over three hundred visitors in Joensuu

The high-quality academic and industrial program of Optics & Photonics Days 2023, along with the sold-out industrial exhibition and several side events, attracted around four hundred visitors in total. The industrial exhibition also opened its doors to the general public on Thursday and drew around fifty city residents interested in photonics. At the exhibitors' booths, visitors had the opportunity to try out augmented reality smart glasses developed by Dispelix Oy from Joensuu and Microsoft's Hololens2 mixed reality glasses. Next-generation smart glasses are utilized in various fields, including education, healthcare, and industry, to improve user accuracy and productivity.

In addition to comprehensive expert presentations, the event featured a comprehensive side program. The side event held at the Photonics Center showcased the Active Alignment service, which can be utilized, for example, by camera manufacturers in prototype manufacturing. The flagship photonics event of PREIN, funded by the Academy of Finland, discussed the significance of research and industry collaboration. In a traditionally male-dominated field, the need for female expertise was also emphasized, and the Women in Photonics event featured insights from women in leadership and expert positions at three significant publicly traded companies: Microsoft, Vaisala, and Modulight. Furthermore, on Thursday, a recruitment event was organized alongside the industrial exhibition to facilitate connections between professionals and companies.

During the conference dinner on Wednesday, Photonics Finland elected a new board. Kim Grundström was chosen as the chairman, and Heidi Piili as the vice chairman. Senop Oy, the largest glass optics manufacturer in the Nordic countries, was awarded as the Photonics Company of the Year. Senop provides comprehensive optoelectronics and professional communication services and equipment for demanding and critical situations, such as secure official and professional communications. Safety and defense was indeed one of the main themes at OPD2023, as the importance of photonics applications in the field continues to grow.

- Joensuu is home to one of the significant photonics clusters at European level. Hosting the event in Joensuu was a significant step in strengthening our international networks. This provides a solid foundation for the growth of photonics in Joensuu, says Juha Purmonen from Photonics Finland.