Pan-European outreach project GoPhoton! to teach importance of photonics
| As part of GoPhoton!, Ferdinand-Braun-Institut, Leibniz-Institut für Höchstfrequenztechnik will organize girls’ photonics technology congresses to be held in the Science and Technology Park in Berlin-Adlershof. (Image copyright Zentrum für Mikrosystemtechnik, Berlin) |
GoPhoton!, a Pan-European outreach project that aims to promote and raise awareness about the ubiquity and industrial and societal importance of the technologies enabled by photonics, is being launched by the European Centres for Outreach in Photonics (ECOP; Castelldefels, Spain).
Photonics is one of the European Commission's "key enabling technologies" (KETs) selected for intensive European development in the 21st century (the other five KETs are nanotechnology, micro- and nanoelectronics, advanced materials, industrial biotechnology, and advanced manufacturing systems). However, to the vast majority of the population, photonics remains an unknown technical and scientific field.
Funded by the EU
GoPhoton! is funded by the European Union (EU) through the FP7 program. It aims to bring photonics closer to society and the general public. The goal is to make photonics a household word.
The newly launched project will be in full force in 2015, the International Year of Light and Light based Technologies (IYL2015). Throughout 2015, GoPhoton! will develop, implement, and coordinate a series of outreach photonics activities, named PhotonicSplash, that will be replicated in each of the eight cities of the ECOP partners (Barcelona, Berlin, Bratislava, Brussels, Galway, London, Milan, and Paris).
During each PhotonicSplash, students, teachers, industry, other research institutes, and the general public will have the opportunity to learn about photonics by visiting research centers for open-day events, going to exhibitions, attending talks, participating in workshops, and taking part in all sorts of educational and entertaining events revolving around the concept and applications of light.
Both in 2014 and in 2015, the German partner Ferdinand-Braun-Institut, Leibniz-Institut für Höchstfrequenztechnik will organize girls’ technology congresses with a special focus on light to be held in the Science and Technology Park in Berlin-Adlershof.
For more info, visit the GoPhoton! website at http://www.gophoton.eu