Prof. Sascha W. Schediwy recieves the 2025 John Love Award in recognition of his technical and innovative contributions to the field of laser communications, particularly his advancements in terrestrial and space laser link capabilities and their successful translation into industry.

Professor Ann Roberts has been awarded the 2025 W.H. Beattie Steel medal, the most prestigious award of the Australian and New Zealand Optical Society. This medal recognizes outstanding career contribution to the field of optics in Australia and New Zealand. The award particularly recognizes a sustained record of leadership, service, and innovation in the Optics field.

Ann is a highly published and internationally recognized researcher with world leading contributions to subwavelength optics, plasmonics, and imaging. Ann has supervised to completion over 20 PhD students, been proactive in promoting indigenous/ equity/ inclusion/ equal opportunity programs, and highly active in undergraduate teaching and course coordination. Ann has also been a past AOS President, and past state branch Chair of the AIP (plus numerous Professional and international conference committees).  Ann’s career has advanced science, technology and contributed to industry in our region creating a lasting legacy for our community.

You can read more about the award here.

The 2025 ANZOS Jim Piper ECR/ MCR Entrepreneurial Researcher Prize, which recognises an outstanding early career researcher for an early-stage entrepreneurial activity/ start-up in the field of optics, lasers, or photonics, has been awarded to Assoc Prof Jiawen Li from Adelaide University for her work on 3D-printed intravascular imaging devices. Her project holds great hope in improving the diagnosis of high-risk cardiovascular disease (CVD), which accounts for >7 million deaths each year worldwide. In 2024 through the support of the University of Adelaide, Li founded a spun-out company to commercialise the hybrid 3D-printed intravascular imaging device. Jiawen’s work aligns extremely well with the overall intent of the award.  It is university research that is being transitioned to a commercial product in a field that will make a difference. 

Dr Danuta Sampson has been awarded the 2025 ANZOS Mid-Career Prize for Excellence in Optics and Photonics in recognition of her outstanding academic achievements, leadership, and service to the Australian and New Zealand optics community. An internationally acclaimed physicist, she has advanced the field of biomedical optics and vision science, developing innovative imaging protocols that are transforming the diagnosis and monitoring of retinal diseases. Beyond her pioneering research, Danuta is a passionate science communicator who has authored children’s books and delivered outreach programs that have inspired thousands of students, while championing diversity and inclusion in STEM. Through her leadership, mentoring, and advocacy, Dr Sampson has demonstrated the highest standards of scientific excellence and community engagement.

Gabriel Britto Monteiro receives the 2025 ANZOS Postgraduate Student Prize for his outstanding work on speckle spectroscopy. Gabriel is an engaged member of the photonics community and served as the Adelaide Optics Chapter president where he championed many outreach events.

Dr. Jia is a postdoctoral research fellow at RMIT whose pioneering work in hybrid integrated photonics and laser nanofabrication has led to 14 impactful publications. He is also a committed contributor to the Australian photonics community through conference leadership, mentoring, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Dear colleagues,

We are delighted to invite you to the Winter Workshop on Quantum Acoustics and Optomechanics, to be held at Macquarie University's beautiful Wallumattagal campus in North Ryde on July 24–25, 2025. 

The workshop will bring together researchers from across Australia, working on quantum acoustics, optomechanics, levitated and hybrid quantum systems. Our aim is to explore the emerging platforms in which the mechanical modes of atoms, molecules, nano- and micro-systems exhibit nonclassical behaviour, and offer to push the limits of sensing, information processing and communication past the classical limits.

 It will feature a series of invited and contributed talks, with ample time for discussion and informal interaction. A dinner will be arranged for the first night (at participant's expense). 

We hope you will register for the event, and ask you to forward this invitation to colleagues, particularly junior researchers in your group, to apply for short contributed talks (15 mins). To express interest, simply email us with a title and a short abstract for your presentation by the COB on July 7th.

 The workshop will be a great opportunity for early-career researchers and HDR students to present their work and connect with this growing dynamic community.

We warmly encourage submissions from early and mid-career researchers of all genders, backgrounds and identities. 

 The registration form allows participants to indicate dietary and any accessibility requirements. We also have capacity to provide some support for childcare/carer costs where to assist registrants in participating fully in the program such as attending the dinner. Please contact the organisers for further details.

The standard ANZOS code of conduct applies to this event.

 The preliminary agenda and a growing list of invited speakers is published on the events page.

We look forward to your participation in what promises to be a stimulating and collaborative event!

The workshop is being conducted on the traditional lands of the people of the Wallumattagal clan of the Dharug nation. We pay respect to their elders, past and present, and extend respect to First Nations people participating in the workshop.

 Mikolaj K. Schmidt and Michael J. Steel

The UNESCO international day of light is celebrated on the 16^th May each year and is a great chance to showcase the many wonderful aspects of light with our wider communities. Students involved in past events have enjoyed sharing their passion for light with the wider public.

Australian New Zealand Optical Society (ANZOS) would like to provide financial support to student chapters to enable them to run an event near the 16^th May 2025. Different event formats are welcomed, examples of past events include interactive hands-on experiments and public lectures. In general, an event date within the month of May is preferred with events close to or on the 16^th of May strongly encouraged.

Support available: $200 of support per student chapter, or $500 for a combined two-chapter event.

Submission process: Complete the below ½ page form and submit to ANZOS (ausoptsoc@gmail.com) by the 18^th April 2025. The outcome will be announced shortly after.

After the event the successful chapters will be required to provide a short article (250 words) including at least one photo from the event for ANZOS news.

Download the ANZOS IDL Event Support Application.

UPDATE: A second round of applications is now open.

"The mission of the International Year of Quantum Science & Technology (IYQ) is to use the occasion of 100 years of quantum mechanics in 2025 to help raise public awareness of the importance and impact of quantum science and applications on all aspects of life."

 — International Year of Quantum Science and Technology [1]

The UNESCO International Year of Quantum Science and Technology (IYQ) is celebrated in 2025 and is a great chance to showcase the many wonderful aspects of photons and quantum physics with our wider communities. Students involved in past ANZOS public events have enjoyed sharing their passion for photonics with the wider public.

In preparation for next year, ANZOS would like to provide financial support to student chapters to enable them to run public IYQ events in 2025. Different event formats are welcomed, examples of past events include interactive hands-on experiments and public lectures. If you are interested fill out the short ANZOS Event Support Application. More information can be found on the application and will close 31 March 2025

Download the ANZOS IYQ Event Support Application.

[1] 2024 International Year of Quantum Science and Technology Partners, "Let’s work together to celebrate 2025 as the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology", About, accessed 20 October 2024, https://quantum2025.org/en/about/.

 

 

For over 30 years, Martijn has been a key figure in research, education and service within the Australian, Australasian and global optics communities. A theorist in nonlinear optics, he has made key contributions in soliton physics, nonlinear Bragg grating, gap solitons, high energy laser pulses, photonic crystals and metamaterials, scattering theory, and novel aspects of nonlinear propagation in optical fibres, and numerous other areas. For a pure theorist, his commitment to constant collaboration with experimentalists is notable and a key part of his research success.

Martijn is a gifted classroom teacher in optics, photonics and all areas of general physics and has lectured at times in the developing world. His contributions to optics education were acknowledged with multiple awards.

His service to the Australian and global optics communities is equally impressive. He has hold many leadership positions at OPTICA, on the ARC College of Experts, and within the University of Sydney, CUDOS and COMBS.

More details on the award can be found here.