December 21, 2009--The European Laser Institute (ELI) and the Arbeitskreis Lasertechnik e.V (Aachen, Germany) have issued the second call for entries for the Innovation Award Laser Technology 2010 . The prize money amounts to 10 000 Euro. The application deadline is January 15th, 2010.

The Innovation Award Laser Technology is awarded every two years to an individual researcher or on an entire project group whose exceptional skills and dedicated work have led to an outstanding innovation in the field of laser technology. The scientific and technological projects must center on the use of laser light in materials processing and the methods of producing such light, and must also be of demonstrable commercial value to industry. The 2008 award was won by the RobScan project team for a robot-guided laser welding system.

According to the organizers, the aim of this award is to showcase the interface between applied scientific research and industrial practice. The range of possible fields extends from the development of new laser beam sources and systems for use in laser materials processing to the qualification of innovative laser manufacturing processes for use in an industrial production environment. In keeping with the original purpose of the award, applications are especially invited from individuals working in European industry or at European universities or independent research centers who have successfully conceived and implemented an innovative idea relating to laser technology, following the project through from early stage laboratory research to ultimate industrial application.

The prizewinner will receive the sum of 10,000 Euros in recognition of his or her work, and also be awarded the title of "AKL Fellow" and "ELI Fellow." The official presentation of the award will take place at the International Laser Technology Congress AKL´10 on May 5, 2010 in Aachen´s town hall.

For application documents and more information see
www.innovation-award-laser.org

--Posted by Steve Anderson, stevega@pennwell.com; www.laserfocusworld.com.