IYL2015 The Closing Ceremony, Switzerland
© 2016 EPFL
On December 5, EPFL hosted an event to promote the progress and promise of light technologies and research. The program marked the Closing Ceremony of the International Year of Light in Switzerland and featured the latest in photonics as well as leading scientists to promote improved public understanding of the central role of light in the modern world.
This celebration brought together bright minds from Google X, Bell Labs, Intel, Philips, Heptagon, UNESCO, Solar Impulse or IBM Research among other, as well as an ESA astronaut and a Nobel Laureate, to foster learning, inspiration and wonder. A laser show and performances punctuated the ceremony specially hosted by The Catalyst's creative scientists. Didn’t miss the surprise visible from space that day?
The International Year of Light and Light-Based Technologies (IYL 2015;www.light2015.org) is a global initiative adopted by the United Nations to raise awareness of how optical technologies promote sustainable development and provide solutions to worldwide challenges in energy, education, agriculture, communications and health.
OUR KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
The ceremony was hosted by the creative scientists of The Catalyst.
Anais Rassat, Astrophysicist and Science Communicator
Claude Nicollier, Astronaut @ European Space Agency (ESA)
Sebastien Bigo, Bell Labs fellow and Activity Leader @ Alcatel-Lucent Bell Labs
Bernard Kress, Moonshots & Principal Optical Architect @ Google X, Google [X] Labs
Bert Jan Offrein, Manager Photonics @ IBM Research Zurich
Jean-Pierre Wolf, Biophotonics professor @ University of Geneva
Stefan W. Hell, Nobel Prize 2014 in Chemistry
Kees van der Klauw, Head of Research @Philips Lighting
Mark Pauly, Head of the Computer Graphics and Geometry lab and Prof. @ EPFL
Solar Impulse, Around the world to promote clean technologies
Markus Rossi, Chief Innovation Officer, CTO @ Heptagon
Joe Niemela, UNESCO, member of the International Year of Light steering committee
John Dudley, Chairman of the IYL 2015 steering committee, Professor
Christoph Harder, President of Swissphotonics, Delegate for EuroPho21
Christophe Moser, Professor of Microengineering and Industrial Relation, Swissphotonics
Christophe P. Rossel, President of the European Physical Society, Emeritus Research
Staff member @ IBM Research
Minh Quang Tran, President of the Swiss Physical Society and EPFL Professor
And laser show, Laser Harp performance, LIDAR demo (Pr. Simeonov) and closing cocktail
Images to download
