The Department of Photonics at IZTECH organized the “International Day of Light” event today at the IZTECH TAM Conference Hall to highlight the importance of light and emphasize efforts to improve human life under the influence of light.

The event began with opening speeches by Prof. Dr. Canan Varlıklı, Head of the Photonics Department, and Prof. Dr. Yusuf Baran, Rector of IZTECH. Prof. Dr. Varlıklı recalled the invention of the laser by Maiman and emphasized the significance of the field opened up by photonic applications and technologies thanks to this discovery. Prof. Dr. Baran, on the other hand, drew attention to the key role that light plays not only as a scientific concept but also in enhancing the quality of human life.

One of the invited speakers, Dr. Sarun Sumriddetchkajorn from Thailand, spoke on “Unleashing the Power of Agri-Photonics,” discussing photonic applications in agriculture. Dr. Sumriddetchkajorn explained with examples how photonic technologies are used to increase agricultural productivity and develop sustainable farming practices.

Following this, Dr. Mehmet Saadeddin Öztürk from Marmara University delivered a talk titled “Biomedical Optics for Cancer Monitoring and Diagnostics,” in which he discussed optical tomography methods. Dr. Öztürk shared innovative solutions provided by optical technologies in cancer diagnosis and monitoring, as well as the latest developments in this field.

Lastly, Erkan Taha Erdoğan from ANSYS gave a presentation titled “The Importance of Optics and Photonics and Ways to Invest In The Future,” discussing the applications of optics and photonics in the industry. Erdoğan detailed how optical and photonic technologies guide future investment opportunities and their impact on the industry.

Students and academics interested in the field of photonics, as well as industry professionals and enthusiasts, showed interest in the event. Participants had the opportunity to gain information about the use of light in different fields and to listen to the latest developments in these areas