Cardiff, UK - 10 December 2007 - A study issued last week by the Photonics21 technology platform in conjunction with the European Commission predicts a bright future for the photonics industry in Europe. The report, titled "Photonics in Europe," was presented at the Photonics21 annual meeting in Brussels, Belgium, 5 and 6 December. The report notes that sales revenues in the optical technology sector have already caught up with those of the microelectronic industry and asserts that the optical sector will continue to move ahead.
From left, at the Photonics21 annual meeting, are Head of Cabinet for Viviane Reding Rudolf Strohmeier, EU Information Society and Media Commission; newly elected Photonics21 President Martin Goetzeler of OSRAM GmbH; outgoing Photonics21 President Alexander von Witzleben of JENOPTIK Laser, Optik, Systeme GmbH; and Eugene Arthurs, Director, SPIE Europe.
Martin Goetzeler, CEO of OSRAM Opto Semiconductors, was elected President of the Board of Stakeholders of Photonics21 at the annual meeting, and SPIE Past President Malgorzata Kujawinska of Politechnika Warszawska, Poland, was re-elected Vice President. Other representatives of SPIE Europe who attended were Hugo Thienpont of Vrije Universitet Brussel, Belgium, a member of the SPIE Board of Directors; Eugene Arthurs, Director, SPIE Europe; and Karin Burger, Manager, SPIE Europe.
Photonics21 is the European technology platform formed by the European Commission in support of photonics in Europe. The platform was founded in 2005 as a result of the Framework VI programme and now has over 900 members, among them many industrial enterprises and other stakeholders in the field of photonics in Europe. The platform will propose research priorities for future framework programmes to the European Commission.
More recently, a Mirror Group was formed which consists of representatives from national and regional ministries as well as public funding agencies and the European Commission. Its mission is to promote a fertile and industry-oriented research environment for photonics by implementing the Photonics21 Strategic Research Agenda on the European, national and regional levels, to coordinate and synergise research activities among European countries, and to advise the platform on research policies and benchmarks.
The first task completed by the Platform in 2006 was the production of the Strategic Research Agenda; this document has now been followed by a study on the economic impact of photonics in Europe which can be found on the Photonics21 website.
Read more about the Photonics21, its annual meeting and the new report on "Photonics in Europe."
About SPIE Europe -
SPIE Europe, headquartered in Cardiff, UK, is a European-based extension of SPIE, an international educational not-for-profit organization advancing an interdisciplinary approach to the science and application of light. SPIE Europe presents several annual symposia comprising conferences, exhibitions, courses and workshops as well as other membership, educational and industry forums throughout Europe. These activities serve to catalyze collaboration among technical disciplines and promote the advancement of science, information exchange, continuing education, publishing opportunities, patent precedent, and career and professional growth. SPIE is an international professional society founded in 1955. In addition to organizing and sponsoring technical conferences around the world, SPIE publishes journals, books and proceedings, with technical papers available for download via the SPIE Digital Library. For more information about SPIE Europe and SPIE, visit SPIE.org
