International Year of Light

International Year of Light
Name	International Year of Light
Caption	Logo of the International Year of Light
Declared by	United Nations General Assembly
Year	2015
Proclaimed by	United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and International Commission for Optics
Purpose	To raise awareness of light science and its applications

International Year of Light The International Year of Light was a global observance proclaimed for 2015 to highlight the importance of photonics and optics in science, technology, culture, and sustainable development. The initiative connected scientific bodies, governmental organizations, research institutions, museums, and educational societies to promote public engagement on topics ranging from lasers and fiber optics to astrophysics and heritage preservation. Major partners and endorsers ranged from specialized unions to national academies, facilitating interdisciplinary outreach across continents.

Background and Objectives

The proclamation followed advocacy by the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics, the European Physical Society, the International Commission for Optics, and the International Astronomical Union to celebrate advances stemming from discoveries by figures such as James Clerk Maxwell, Albert Einstein, Heinrich Hertz, Guglielmo Marconi, and André-Marie Ampère. Objectives included raising public awareness among audiences reached by institutions like the Royal Society, the National Academy of Sciences (United States), the Max Planck Society, and the Académie des sciences (France). The campaign emphasized applications in communication technologies pioneered by companies connected to innovators honored by awards such as the Nobel Prize in Physics, the Wolf Prize, and the IEEE Medal of Honor, while promoting Sustainable Development Goals championed by the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Health Organization.

Organization and Steering Committee

A steering committee coordinated contributions from representatives of bodies including the UNESCO, the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics, the International Commission for Optics, the International Astronomical Union, the European Physical Society, and national academies like the Royal Society, the National Academy of Sciences (United States), the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, and the Conseil national de la recherche scientifique (Italy). Leadership featured academics affiliated with institutions such as the University of Cambridge, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Oxford, the California Institute of Technology, and the Sorbonne Université. Advisory members represented foundations and agencies including the Simons Foundation, the European Research Council, the National Science Foundation, Science Foundation Ireland, and the Wellcome Trust. The committee liaised with professional societies like the Optical Society (OSA), the Institute of Physics, the IEEE Photonics Society, and the International Society for Optics and Photonics.

Events and Global Activities

Activities took place at venues including the Smithsonian Institution, the British Museum, the Louvre, the Centre Georges Pompidou, the Museum of Science and Industry (Chicago), and the Deutsches Museum. Scientific meetings linked to the initiative included conferences organized by the European Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics (CLEO), the SPIE Photonics West symposium, the International Congress on Optics (ICO), and sessions at the American Physical Society meetings. Cultural programs partnered with festivals such as the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the Venice Biennale, the Berlinale, and observatory events at the European Southern Observatory and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Outreach collaborations involved the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, the International Council on Monuments and Sites, the Royal Institution, and national science centers like the Exploratorium and the Cité des sciences et de l'industrie.

Scientific and Educational Programs

Educational programs incorporated curricula developed by universities including Harvard University, Stanford University, University of Tokyo, Peking University, and University of Cape Town and were delivered via platforms supported by the Khan Academy, the Coursera consortium, and national ministries such as the Ministry of Education (China), the United Kingdom Department for Education, and the United States Department of Education. Scientific initiatives funded collaborative projects between laboratories like CERN, the European Molecular Biology Laboratory, the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, and national light sources including the Diamond Light Source, the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, and the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source. Workshops and summer schools were held by institutions such as the International Centre for Theoretical Physics, the Perimeter Institute, the Weizmann Institute of Science, and the Indian Institute of Science.

Legacy and Impact

The observance influenced policy discussions at bodies such as the G7 Summit, the G20 Summit, and the UN General Assembly on topics related to infrastructure projects championed by agencies like the International Telecommunication Union and the World Bank. It stimulated collaborations resulting in advances at companies and research centers including Nokia Bell Labs, Bell Laboratories, IBM Research, Microsoft Research, Toyota Research Institute, and startups spun out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Educational legacies persisted through programs at the Royal Institution, the Science Museum (London), the American Museum of Natural History, the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum, and scholarships administered by the European Molecular Biology Organization and the Fulbright Program. The initiative also reinforced heritage conservation practices used by the National Trust (United Kingdom), the Smithsonian Institution, and the Getty Conservation Institute.

Participating Organizations and Sponsors

Major participating organizations included UNESCO, the International Commission for Optics, the International Union for Pure and Applied Physics, the International Astronomical Union, the Optical Society (OSA), the IEEE Photonics Society, the European Physical Society, the Royal Society, the National Academy of Sciences (United States), the Max Planck Society, the French National Centre for Scientific Research, the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. Corporate and philanthropic sponsors included entities and foundations linked to Nikon Corporation, Canon Inc., Samsung Electronics, Philips, Sony Corporation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Simons Foundation, the Wellcome Trust, the Robert Bosch Stiftung, and the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. Regional partners encompassed the African Academy of Sciences, the Latvian Academy of Sciences, the Academia Sinica, the Australian Academy of Science, the Brazilian Academy of Sciences, and the Indian National Science Academy.

Category:Science observances