Find out more about the Plenary Sessions of the World of Photonics Congress 2025.
Program of World of Photonics Congress 2025
Five scientific conferences with plenaries and joint sessions and a practice-oriented lecture program address all aspects of optical technologies.
To depict all aspects of optical technologies, the conferences at the World of Photonics Congress are oriented to the research sector’s close proximity to industry on the one hand and to photonics applications in the industrial and medical sectors on the other.
Come to Hall B0 to view the posters, ask questions and exchange ideas with colleagues from your field.
CLEO® / Europe – EQEC 2025
CLEO®/Europe-EQEC 2025 conference is Europe’s largest conference on photonics and related research fields. CLEO®/Europe will showcase the latest developments in a wide range of laser and photonics areas, EQEC, on the other hand, features the fundamentals of quantum optics. The program features plenary lectures, keynote and tutorial speakers, invited talks, contributed talks and poster sessions within the different topics. Furthermore, the conference will feature short courses and joint symposia.
CLEO® / Europe – EQEC 2025 is organized by the European Physical Society (EPS), OPTICA and the IEEE Photonics Society.
Lasers in Manufacturing (LiM 2025)
LiM focuses on the latest developments as well as future trends in the field of laser material processing including process engineering, system technology and process optimization. The conference consists of three sub-conferences – one for macro applications, one for nano and micro applications, and one for additive manufacturing.
LiM is organized by the German Scientific Society for Lasers and Photonics (WLT).
Digital Optical Technologies
Digital Optical Technologies reflects trends in recent technologies such as 3D sensors, immersive multimedia, novel displays, light sources and imaging systems. Digital optical technologies include optics designed by digital means, fabricated by digital means, with functionalities enhanced or altered by digital techniques (computational optics or dynamic optics).
Digital Optical Technologies is organized by SPIE Europe.
Optical Metrology
Optical Metrology focuses on the latest research in measurement systems, optical metrology, modeling, videometrics, inspection and machine vision with applications for solving measurement and inspection problems in industrial design and production engineering, vehicle navigation, multimedia technology, architecture, archaeology and the arts.
Optical Metrology is organized by SPIE Europe.
European Conferences on Biomedical Optics (ECBO)
ECBO cover basic science, novel technology and applications in the areas of advanced microscopy, clinical and biomedical spectroscopy, diffuse optical imaging, molecular imaging, neurophotonics and optogenetics, optical coherence tomography and other coherence techniques, therapeutic laser applications, laser-tissue interactions, opto-acoustic methods, and other novel biophotonics techniques.
ECBO is co-sponsored by Optica and SPIE, and 2025 is organised by Optica.
Special Events 2025
Join us at the World of Photonics Congress for an exciting program of panel discussions, keynote speeches and networking events at the World of Photonics Congress.
Awards & Prizes
WLT Award Ceremony / Monday, June 23, 2025
10:30–12:30, Room 13b, ICM – International Congress Center Messe München
Herbert Walther Award by Optica and DPG / Tuesday, June 24, 2025
10:30–12:30, Room 1, ICM – International Congress Center Messe München
The award ceremony will take place during the EQEC Plenary Talk and Award Ceremony at the 2025 CLEO®/Europe-EQEC conference.
The Herbert Walther Award commemorates Max Planck Institute of Quantum Physics Professor Herbert Walther’s groundbreaking innovations in quantum optics and atomic physics, as well as other wide-ranging contributions to the scientific community. The Award, administered jointly by Optica and Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft (DPG), recognizes distinguished contributions in quantum optics and atomic physics as well as leadership in the international scientific community.
The 2025 Recipient is Michael Fleischhauer, who is recognized for key contributions in nonlinear quantum optics as well as photonic and atomic quantum technologies – in particular for the development of a toolbox to coherently control multi-level atoms with light, including the concept of dark state polaritons and Rydberg dipole blockade physics.
Optica Fellows / Tuesday, June 24, 2025
10:30–12:30, Room 1, ICM – International Congress Center Messe München
The award ceremony will take place during the EQEC Plenary Talk and Award Ceremony at the 2025 CLEO®/Europe-EQEC conference.
During the ceremony, Optica will also recognize a number of recently elected Fellow Members. Fellows are Optica members who have served with distinction in the advancement of optics and photonics through distinguished contributions to education, research, engineering, business and society.
2025 Prizes and Awards of the European Physical Society (EPS) through its Quantum Electronics and Optics Division / Tuesday, June 24, 2025
10:30-12:30, Room 1, ICM - International Congress Center Messe München
The awards ceremonies will take place during the EQEC Plenary Talk and Award Ceremony at the 2025 CLEO®/Europe-EQEC conference.
EPS-QEOD Quantum Electronics and Optics Prizes:
Among its most prestigious prizes, the Quantum Electronics and Optics division (QEOD) of the European Physical Society (EPS) distributes the Quantum Electronics and Optics Prizes. These are the two senior EPS/QEOD prizes (one for fundamental, one for applied aspects) awarded for outstanding contributions to quantum electronics and optics. The prizes winners are each to receive a medal and 5000 euros.
EPS- QEOD Fresnel Prizes:
Two EPS/QEOD Fresnel Prizes are awarded for outstanding contributions to quantum electronics and optics made by young scientists before the age of 35. There is one prize for fundamental aspects and one prize for applied aspects. The prize winners are each to receive a medal and 2000 euros.
EPS-QEOD Thesis Prizes:
Since 2007 up to four EPS/QEOD Thesis Prizes are awarded to reward excellence in PhD research and scientific communication in the area of quantum electronics and optics related to a PhD thesis work defended in the two years prior to the conference from June to June. These Prizes are awarded for fundamental and applied aspects. The prize winners are each to receive a diploma and 1000 euros.
EPS-QEOD and EPS Young Minds Travel Grant Student Awards
Optica Foundation Student Travel Grants / Tuesday, June 24, 2025
10:30–12:30, Room 1, ICM – International Congress Center Messe München
The award ceremony will take place during the EQEC Plenary Talk and Award Ceremony at the 2025 CLEO®/Europe-EQEC conference.
The Optica Foundation recognizes and fosters excellence in students and early career professionals to help them begin their careers as scientists, engineers, innovators and technologists. Ten travel grants to support students worldwide to attend CLEO®/Europe – EQEC as selected by the conference programme committees.
EOS Early Career Women in Photonics Award / Tuesday, June 24, 2025
10:30-12:30, Room 1, ICM - International Congress Center Messe München
The award ceremony will take place during the EQEC Plenary Talk and Award Ceremony at the 2025 CLEO®/Europe-EQEC conference.
The Early Career Women in Photonics Award is presented by the European Optical Society to honour a young female scientist who has made outstanding contributions to photonics. The award consists of a diploma and an honorarium of 2500 euros.