Statement of Purpose
SPIE is an international society advancing an interdisciplinary approach to the science and application of light.
About the Society
SPIE is the international society for optics and photonics founded in 1955 to advance light-based technologies. Serving approximately 180,000 constituents from more than 170 countries, the Society advances emerging technologies through interdisciplinary information exchange, continuing education, publications, patent precedent, and career and professional growth.
SPIE annually organizes and sponsors approximately 25 major technical forums, exhibitions, and education programs in North America, Europe, Asia, and the South Pacific.
In 2010, the Society provided more than $2.3 million in support of scholarships, grants, and other education programs around the world.
SPIE publishes the SPIE Digital Library, containing more than 325,000 research papers from the Proceedings of SPIE and the Society's 9 scholarly journals with around 18,000 new papers added each year, and more than 120 eBooks from the SPIE Press catalog. The SPIE Press publishes print monographs, tutorial texts, Field Guides, and reference books. SPIE also publishes a wide variety of open access content.
Membership includes Fellows and Senior Member programs. The Society has named more than 900 SPIE members as Fellows since 1955, and implemented its Senior Member program in 2008.
SPIE's awards program serves to recognize outstanding contributions from individuals throughout the scientific community regardless of membership status.
SPIE Europe
History of the Society
SPIE Logos and Name