WA-SPIE
29.1.2024 20:25:27 CET | Business Wire | Press release
SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics, and The University of Manchester announced the establishment of the SPIE-Manchester Postgraduate Scholarship in Photonics, today during SPIE Photonics West in San Francisco. The $500,000 gift from SPIE will be matched 100% by the University. Part of the SPIE Endowment Matching Program, this new endowment will support both early-career researchers and returning researchers at the University’s Photon Science Institute in partnership with the Royce Institute, the UK’s national institute for advanced materials research and innovation. This is the 11th major SPIE gift to universities and institutes as part of the Society's ongoing program to support the expansion of optical engineering teaching and research.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240126857659/en/
Doctoral students at work in the Photon Science Institute lab. (Photo: Business Wire)
With a goal of increasing diversity in optics and photonics, the SPIE-Manchester Postgraduate Scholarship will have a particular focus on funding individuals returning to research following a career break or time in industry, and those pursuing unconventional career pathways or part-time study (situations often necessitated by caring responsibilities, for example). Aligning current research and industrial needs for a robust training pipeline, an additional unique feature of the scholarship is an optional final-year placement of up to 12 months, during which students can develop industry-relevant skills in collaboration with local optics and photonics companies.
“Today marks just the beginning of the partnership between The University of Manchester and SPIE,” noted Department Head of Research for Physics and Astronomy at The University of Manchester Dr. Patrick Parkinson. “The establishment of the SPIE-Manchester Postgraduate Scholarship in Photonics is a testament to our shared values within skills training, fostering diversity in education and the vital role of photonics. This announcement holds special significance as it coincides with the University’s bicentenary year. We take great pride in using this generous donation to not only advance research and education, but also to solidify our existing partnerships and forge new industrial collaborations to deliver a doctoral training program that will ensure a sustainable workforce for the North West of England.”
“Our expanding field needs researchers and engineers, though for some who might be interested in a photonics career, traditional educational paths are barriers to their success,” said SPIE CEO Kent Rochford. “The SPIE-Manchester Postgraduate Scholarship in Photonics aims to remove those barriers and provide exciting opportunities for early-career researchers and those who may be pursuing unconventional career paths. Working internally at the university’s Photon Science Institute with the option of an industry-focused placement, promises to benefit young researchers, as well as our future diverse workforce. I very much look forward to meeting the leaders in optics and photonics technologies who will emerge from this dynamic partnership between SPIE and The University of Manchester.”
The SPIE Endowment Matching Program was established in 2019 to increase international capacity in the teaching and research of optics and photonics. With this latest gift, SPIE has provided over $4 million in matching gifts, resulting in more than $11 million in dedicated funds. The SPIE Endowment Matching Program supports optics and photonics education and the future of the industry by contributing a match of up to $500,000 per award to college, institute, and university programs with optics and photonics degrees, or with other disciplines allied to the SPIE mission.
About the University of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a member of the prestigious Russell Group and one of the UK’s largest single-site universities. We have over 40,000 students, 12,000 staff and, with 500,000 former students from more than 190 countries, are home to the largest alumni community of any campus-based university in the UK. We are ranked in the top ten of the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings globally; are the top UK University for graduate employability according to The Graduate Market in 2022 and no fewer than 25 Nobel laureates have either worked or studied here. Manchester was also named 5th place for research power — the quality and scale of research and impact — in the UK government’s (REF) 2021. Visit www.manchester.ac.uk for further information or https://www.manchester.ac.uk/discover/vision/ for our latest strategic vision.
About SPIE
SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics, brings engineers, scientists, students, and business professionals together to advance light-based science and technology. The Society, founded in 1955, connects and engages with our global constituency through industry-leading conferences and exhibitions; publications of conference proceedings, books, and journals in the SPIE Digital Library; and career-building opportunities. Over the past five years, SPIE has contributed more than $24 million to the international optics community through our advocacy and support, including scholarships, educational resources, travel grants, endowed gifts, and public-policy development. www.spie.org.
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240126857659/en/
About Business Wire
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
OpenRouter Raises $113 Million CapitalG-led Series B as Weekly Volume Explodes to 25T Tokens26.5.2026 15:15:00 CEST | Press release
NVentures, ServiceNow Ventures, MongoDB Ventures, Snowflake Ventures, Databricks Ventures join CapitalG, a16z, Menlo Ventures, and others in backing the high-growth AI infrastructure startup OpenRouter, the AI model exchange, today announced a $113 million Series B led by Alphabet’s independent growth fund, CapitalG, with participation from investors including NVentures (NVIDIA’s venture capital arm), ServiceNow Ventures, MongoDB Ventures, Snowflake Ventures, Databricks Ventures, alongside existing investors including Andreessen Horowitz and Menlo Ventures. OpenRouter’s volume has surged to 25 trillion tokens per week (100 trillion tokens per month), representing a 5X increase from the 5 trillion tokens processed per week just six months ago. The explosion in token demand illustrates how quickly enterprises are deploying agents and scaling AI across multiple models and providers. OpenRouter’s infrastructure manages and optimizes inference and provides access to 400+ models across leadi
Xsolla Expands Its Community Management Tools for Creators, Community Leaders, and Resellers26.5.2026 15:00:00 CEST | Press release
Xsolla Adds New Features For Creators, Community Leader Experience, And Distinct Channels For Emerging Markets Xsolla, a leading global video game commerce company, today announced three simultaneous expansions of its community management tools and products. As the creator economy continues to reshape how games are discovered and the industry accelerates its shift toward direct-to-consumer commerce, Xsolla is building on its community management tools for creators, community leaders, and emerging markets, and will showcase them at TwitchCon Rotterdam later this month. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260526596720/en/ Graphic: Xsolla The games industry has never had a shortage of people who drive player acquisition, loyalty, and commerce; it's had a shortage of infrastructure that recognizes them. Creators stream it. Community leaders build a culture around it. Local resellers get it into the hands of players in
Biocytogen Launches AI-Powered RenSuper™ Platform and Industry-First Fully Automated Antibody Discovery Infrastructure26.5.2026 14:00:00 CEST | Press release
Biocytogen today announced the launch of RenSuper Workstation, a next-generation AI-powered antibody discovery platform providing off-the-shelf access to a large-scale, experimentally validated library of fully human therapeutic antibody sequences, together with the RenSuper High-Throughput Antibody Manufacturing Automation Center, a fully automated infrastructure designed to accelerate antibody validation and production. Built on Biocytogen’s proprietary RenMice® platforms, RenSuper establishes a closed-loop antibody discovery engine combining in vivo immune repertoires, AI-driven candidate selection, automated experimental validation, and scalable manufacturing infrastructure. The platform supports the discovery and development of monoclonal antibodies, bispecifics, multispecifics, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), VHHs, and other advanced therapeutic modalities, significantly reducing the time and risk associated with antibody discovery. RenSuper Workstation: AI-Powered One-Click Tar
ViaLase Announces Global Commercial Introduction of the FLIGHT Procedure26.5.2026 14:00:00 CEST | Press release
First commercial femtosecond laser image-guided, high precision trabeculotomy (FLIGHT) treatments mark a new era in interventional glaucoma; one where precision, safety, and the patient experience define the new standard of care ViaLase, Inc., a commercial stage medical technology company pioneering incision-free, laser-based solutions for glaucoma, today announced the successful completion of the first commercial FLIGHT procedures performed at Centre for Sight in London by Sheraz Daya, MD, and Gus Gazzard, MD, and at Breyer, Kaymak & Klabe Augenchirurgie in Düsseldorf, Germany, by Karsten Klabe, MD. The first commercial FLIGHT procedures were performed using the ViaLuxe® Laser System to deliver an incision-free, image-guided femtosecond laser treatment designed to create precise channels through the trabecular meshwork to restore aqueous outflow and reduce intraocular pressure in patients with open-angle glaucoma. “Centre for Sight has always been committed to bringing meaningful inno
BioIVT to Spotlight ADME-Tox Expertise and Solutions at Summer 2026 Events26.5.2026 14:00:00 CEST | Press release
Company will demonstrate how high-quality, well-characterized biospecimens are critical to the success of both new approach methodologies (NAMs) and traditional studies BioIVT, the leading biospecimen solutions provider and global research partner for drug and diagnostic development, today announced it will showcase its broad portfolio of ADME-Tox solutions and research expertise at several leading industry events, including the 2026 MPS World Summit and the ISSX 16th European Meeting. The MPS World Summit takes place May 26-May 29, 2026, in Washington, D.C. BioIVT colleagues will be available at booth #115 to discuss research questions and needs, including preparation, handling, and utilization of the high-quality tissues and cells needed for microphysiological systems (MPS), as well as conducting ADME studies and bioanalysis. BioIVT offers an extensive range of control and disease state biospecimens, including SPHEROID CERTIFIED™ Hepatocytes as well as advanced HEPATOPAC® co-cultures
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom