The second "Photonics TALENT" International Summer School was held from July 15 to 18, 2025 at the Institut d'Optique d'Aquitaine, in Bordeaux. It is part of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Photonics TALENT project, which aims to attract R&D talent to the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. Following the success of the first edition in 2024, this new session confirmed the growing interest in this event.

An immersion into the world of Photonics 

Last July, the "Photonics TALENT" Summer School brought together European Master's and PhD students, bridging the gap between academia and industry around cutting-edge research in laser source development for industrial, medical, and scientific applications.

The week featured a rich program including conferences and courses led by academic and industry experts, company visits, networking events, and more.

One day, one topic:

• Tuesday: High-Performance Lasers for Industrial Applications (Université de Bordeaux, ISL, Toptica, Amplitude, Leukos) 
• Thursay: Lasers in Atom Control and Gravitational Waves Detection (IOGS, Ruhr University Bochum, Exail, OCA Nice) 
• Friday: Lasers for Advancing Medical Applications (ALPhANOV, IRISIOME, Amplitude, Ilasis).

For three days, participants attended: 

The 2025 edition was highlighted by the presence of Clara SARACENO, Professor at Ruhr University Bochum and a specialist in ultrashort pulse lasers. She shared her research during a conference dedicated to "High-power ultrafast laser technology for terahertz generation". 

Highlights of this edition

This second edition once again gave participants the opportunity to explore the photonics industrial ecosystem in Nouvelle-Aquitaine through visits to several key players in the sector - including the technology center ALPhANOV, and three industrial photonics companies: Amplitude, Exail and Toptica. 

During the job fair, students engaged directly with professionals to discuss career opportunities and submit applications. Among the companies represented were AeroDIODE, Femto Easy, ARDOP, Iotametrix, as well as project partners: ALPhANOV, the ALPHA-RLH cluster, Amplitude, Toptica and Exail.

PhD and master's students also had the opportunity to present their research during the poster session, which took place in two parts: a pitch presentation and then a poster exhibition. A panel of seven judges awarded three prizes to the most innovative research projects.

A confirmed success for this second edition

Building on the success of its first edition, this second Photonics TALENT Summer School has fully confirmed its potential. 
It attracted around forty master's and PhD students from 18 different universities, drawn by the high quality of the presentations and the diversity of topics covered.

The program, enriched with company visits, a job fair, and a networking evening in Bordeaux, fostered meaningful exchanges between students and industry experts.
This year, participants were also welcomed by Alain Rousset, President of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, who reaffirmed his commitment to the development of photonics in the region. This intervention, coordinated by IOGS, further strengthened the visibility and legitimacy of the Photonics TALENT Summer School.

"This Summer School will remain an unforgettable memory. We discovered so many fascinating things, had extraordinary experiences, and above all, met amazing people " - Participant in the Summer School.

The next edition is already being prepared by the organizational team and the scientific committee, with a return scheduled for July 2026.

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The Nouvelle-Aquitaine Photonics TALENT project is led by ALPhANOV, bringing together members of the consortium comprising the ALPHA-RLH competitive cluster and photonics leaders such as Amplitude Laser, TOPTICA Photonics and Exail.

The aim of the project is to highlight and raise public awareness of the photonics industry, a fast-growing sector offering a wide range of career opportunities.