EOS President's End-of-Year Summary 2025
- On Tuesday, 09 december 2025
Looking back at the past year, I have to proudly acknowledge that the European Optical Society (EOS) continues to grow in strength, reach, and relevance within the global optics and photonics community. The 2025 edition of EOSAM, held last August in the vibrant city of Delft, confirmed the continuous improvement of our flagship event with time. EOSAM in Delft drew an enthusiastic and diverse audience. Attendees praised the rich and varied program, which combined high-quality scientific content with unique opportunities to exchange ideas. The structure of the event—bringing together Tutorials, impressive plenary sessions and high-quality and timely topical meetings and special sessions—allowed participants to navigate topics across the full breadth of optics and photonics. A particular highlight was the joint session organized with the Chinese Optical Society (COS), which also played as a productive testbed for deeper cooperation with partner societies. In an increasingly interconnected scientific world, EOS sees this type of collaboration as essential for fostering global innovation and strengthening international ties.
Beyond EOSAM, the society remained visible and active throughout the entire year. EOS was present—often with significant contributions and support—at a remarkable number of events across Europe and world-wide. Among these were the Annual General meeting of EPIC, the Optics and Photonics Days in Finland, the Annual Meeting of DGAO in Stuttgart, Photonics Prague, the LAFe-MipLab Workshop in Brazil, the Lasers in Manufacturing Conference in Munich, the Light Conference in Changchun (in partnership with the Light Publishing Group), the INOW Workshop in Wroclaw, the Meeting of the Optoelectronics Committee (OPTOEL) of the Spanish Society of Optics, the Optics & Photonics in Sweden conference, the recent RIAO-Optilas 2025 conference in Bolivia, and the ongoing OSJ Annual Meeting (OPJ2025) in Tokushima. These engagements demonstrate EOS’s sustained commitment to connecting with the broader scientific ecosystem and supporting local communities in their own national and regional initiatives.
I am particularly proud to highlight the EOS participation at the World of Photonics. Thanks to a great organizing team, the visibility of EOS was excellent, and our contributions—particularly in helping to organize dedicated scientific sessions—were widely appreciated.
Looking ahead, preparations are underway for the Career Symposium in Grenoble next March, within the EU-funded project 360 CARLA. This event, designed with a strong educational and interdisciplinary spirit, will offer early-career researchers a unique opportunity to deepen their knowledge, develop technical skills, and engage with peers and mentors. EOS is proud to support programs that nurture the next generation of scientists and engineers, and 360 CARLA represents a perfect example of this mission in action.
I am strongly convinced that a healthy and strong EOS depends fundamentally on the health and vitality of its National Optical Societies (NOS). Recognizing this, the EOS Board has been working on a new financial model that aims to strengthen the relationship between EOS and its NOS partners. The goal is to ensure that the benefits of membership and collaboration flow in both directions. The proposed model foresees new mechanisms to share revenues with NOS, allowing them to reinvest directly into their communities—for example, by supporting local awards, providing assistance in the organization of scientific events, or offering discounts for publications. Through this initiative, EOS seeks to reinforce local ecosystems of excellence and to empower national societies to grow according to their specific needs and priorities.
In parallel, the Journal of the European Optical Society-Rapid Publications (JEOS-RP) continues to serve the community as a trusted platform for high-quality scientific communication. JEOS-RP remains committed to publishing scientifically sound, novel research that is relevant and valuable to the optics and photonics community. As scientific publishing continues to evolve rapidly, JEOS-RP stands as a stable, community-oriented journal that prioritizes scientific integrity and accessibility, which have been awarded this year by a significant increase in the impact factor.
Last but not least, I am particularly proud to recall that the General Assembly, during the annual meeting in Delft, has approved the board proposal to grant Honorary Membership of EOS to Professor Maria Josefa Yzuel. Professor Yzuel has been an exceptional contributor to the field of optics and photonics and a longstanding supporter of our community. Her scientific achievements, leadership, mentoring, and continuous dedication to the development of the discipline make her an exemplary figure worthy of this distinction.
As we reflect on the past year, one theme emerges consistently: EOS is thriving because its community is thriving. The success of EOSAM in Delft, the broad engagement across international events, the strengthening of ties with national societies, the continued excellence of JEOS-RP, and the preparation of new initiatives all point to an organization that is moving confidently forward. On behalf of the EOS executive committee and the board of directors, I extend sincere thanks to everyone who participated, volunteered, organized, supported, or contributed in any way during this remarkable year.
However, new challenges are emerging on the horizon. In addition to deeply debated issues in several research funding systems, and the growing number of cases of professional misconduct in research communication, which erode public trust, we must now also face an increasingly unpredictable political landscape. Global tensions risk undermining scientific collaboration, restricting researcher mobility, and complicating the long-term planning of research activities.
Yet, despite these challenges, my hope for the coming year is that we may continue to place our trust where it has always guided us forward: in a scientific community that transcends borders, united by curiosity, collaboration, and the shared pursuit of knowledge.
Emiliano Descrovi
EOS President