About IPIC
IPIC is Ireland’s centre of excellence for research, innovation and PhD training in photonics – the science and application of light – which today represents a 0.5 Trillion$ global industry.
Photonic integration technology is the focus of our research, spanning areas from photonics theory right through to device and system development and fabrication, enabled through our in-house laboratories and semiconductor fabrication facilities at Tyndall National Institute.
We work closely with over 30 industry partners to develop their next generation products, across Ireland’s high growth technology sectors such as ICT and MedTech, supporting their attraction to and growth in Ireland. In addition we commercialise our disruptive technologies through start-up companies and co-ordinate the Photonics Ireland National Technology Platform
News Updates
14.11.2020BioPixS selected as one of EI’s Big Ideas 2020
We are proud to announce that BioPixS has been selected amongst 12 Enterprise Ireland's Big Ideas 2020, a showcase which enables highest quality early-stage research-led start-ups across Ireland to pitch their ideas to investors and researchers. Each year, the Enterprise Ireland event highlights not only the high standard of Irish research but also the accomplishments of Ireland’s national technology transfer system. The Big Ideas 2020 showcase will be taking place online on 25 November and puts Irish innovation in the spotlight with 12 pitches made to an audience made up of the country’s research and investment communities. This time, the investor-ready start-ups are all strongly ingrained in research at higher-education institutes across the country. For more information visit siliconrepublic.com.
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03.11.2020SFI Frontiers Award for Prof. Tia Keyes
Prof. Tia Keyes, an IPIC Principal Investigator and a professor of physical chemistry at the School of Chemical Sciences as well as a member of the National Centre for Sensor Research at Dublin City University, has been awarded one of the prestigious research grants through SFI Frontiers for the Future Programme. Prof. Keyes was one of 26 successful candidates announced on November 2 by the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris, TD. A project led by Prof. Keyes at Dublin City University will develop probes that highlight specific stretches of DNA inside living cells, which will have applications in assessing cell damage during screening of new drug candidates. When asked about the significance of her work, Prof. Keyes explained 'Optical microscopy has advanced dramatically over the past 20 years to the point where it is now possible to resolve and follow single biomolecules within living cells. However, to work optimally, these methods require probes; light emitting molecules, that can spontaneously enter the cell, target the site of interest, and that have been specifically designed to withstand tough imaging conditions while responding in readable ways to their environment. This programme will design new molecular tools for use with super-resolution microscopy methods. The molecules are built with zip-coded structures in the design that promotes their transport into living cells and tumors and precisely directs them to destinations where they target DNA and other biomolecules. These tools will provide new insights into our cells biochemistry, response to molecular therapeutics and light based therapy for disease'. For more details on the SFI Frontiers awards and a complete list of successful awardees please visit SFI's News page.
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16.10.2020Invisible Light Exhibition – Art Meets Science at the Crawford Gallery
Art meets Science in Invisible Light, an expansive new exhibition from The School of Looking funded by Science Foundation Ireland’s (SFI) Discover Programme, which reignites the heritage of Crawford Art Gallery as an institution for both artistic and scientific endeavour. Through an ambitious, collaborative endeavour with Tyndall National Institute and the Irish Photonic Integration Centre (IPIC), Invisible Light imaginatively explores the Electromagnetic Spectrum in its relationship to history, society, artistic creation and art conservation. Just as we can describe the spectrum of visible light in seven colours – red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet – we can also divide the Electromagnetic Spectrum into seven zones. The middle zone – the smallest – is the only one we call visible, but in truth they are all visible to us now. The invention and construction of machine eyes to see all this invisible light has been a collective project since the late nineteenth century, and a vision revolution that has made the whole universe visible to us. Men and women of science have slowly rendered visible the entire range of energy frequencies that permeates our universe – Gamma Rays, X-Rays, Infrared Radiation, Visible Light, Ultraviolet Radiation, Microwaves, Radio Waves – and imagined extraordinary applications for them, including inventions that have progressed society in countess ways, saving lives, allowing us to see into the molecular structure of our cells, gaze far into the universe, and peer behind micron-thin layers of paint to reveal the secrets of the Grand Masters of art. Marking the 200th anniversary of the birth of visionary Irish scientist John Tyndall (1820-1893), artists Anne Cleary and Denis Connolly from The School of Looking have worked closely with scientists from Tyndall National Institute and Irish Photonic Integration Centre (IPIC), and curators at Crawford Art Gallery to imagine an exhibition that truly unites art and science. Invisible Light shares this adventure with the public, through seven newly commissioned artworks, each one exploring a region of the Electromagnetic Spectrum and accompanied by seven Ray Days, days of safe public engagement dedicated to each separate type of radiation. Invisible Light receives its world premiere at Crawford Art Gallery and, in 2021, will represent Ireland at the Universal Exhibition in Dubai. For more information on booking a Ray Day go to: https://www.eventbrite.ie/o/crawford-art-gallery-15384679145 Follow IPIC on Twitter and Instagram.
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05.10.2020SPARKLE Open Call
Interested in becoming a Future Photonics Research Leader? Register your interest to join the MSCA and SFI COFUND Sparkle Fellowship Training Programme today! Joining the programme will help you to refine your research skills and present you with opportunities to build on skills highly desired in the academic and industrial world; project management, communication, prototype development and tech transfer. Have an idea you want to develop and see it grow to a commercialised product? By joining Sparkle you will have the academic freedom and opportunity to leverage the expertise of the team and numerous industry partners to help see this through. Click HERE to find out more details on the application process. Open call is running to Jan 29th 2021.
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30.09.2020Light up Lockdown – presented by PIADS and Photonics
In Lighting up Lockdown you will meet some of our students who took part in Glasgow Science Festival. They will guide you through photonics experiments that can be done at home. Photonics is the technology of generating and harnessing light (photons). Safety first, be very careful if using a laser pointer, follow instructions! To meet our students and discover recipe cards follow this link The Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in Photonic Integration and Advanced Data Storage (PIADS) is a partnership between the Irish Photonic Integration Centre, Queen’s University Belfast and University of Glasgow. These partners are collaborating on solutions to the ever increasing quantities of data generated by today’s society. The Centre’s focus is on developing highly-manufacturable photonic integration technologies related to the magnetic storage of digital information. However, the development of these technologies will be relevant to a wide spectrum of end-users – from telecommunications to biophotonics, in which optical technologies are applied to living organisms and health care. For more information on CDT-PIADS visit our website or follow IPIC on Twitter. Associated twitter links: https://twitter.com/GlasgowSciFest/status/1310527222122414085 https://twitter.com/GlasgowSciFest/status/1307303587589038081 https://twitter.com/IPICIreland/status/1304075874053091328
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17.09.2020IPIC welcomes 5 new PhD students as part of CDT-PIADS 2020 Cohort
The EPSRC and SFI Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in Photonic Integration and Advanced Data Storage (PIADS) in partnership with IPIC, Queen’s University Belfast & Glasgow University, offers students a cutting-edge research environment to undertake a diverse and exciting range of topical doctoral research projects in the cross-disciplinary areas of physics, materials and electrical and optical engineering with commercial applications as diverse as data storage and biosciences. The 2020 cohort have been welcomed virtually by the CDT-PIADS team, with a week-long session of inductions including introductions to the IPIC Principal Investigators, two new Tyndall-based advanced training courses, some team building and two interactive sessions hosted by David McGovern, Sr. Business Development Manager for IPIC, in a workshop session on Research Commercialization and Caitríona Tyndall, Public Engagement Manager for IPIC on Education and Public Engagement. Links: PIADS page on IPIC website PIADS website PIADS twitter
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13.08.2020Irish start-up BioPixS secures EU funding to support develop innovative Covid-19 response
On the 11th of August 2020, the European Commission announced funding for 23 projects targeting innovative and rapid health-related approaches to respond to Covid-19. One of these projects, VASCOVID, includes Irish SME BioPixS, Tyndall’s recent start-up company launched from the SFI funded centre IPIC. VASCOVID will develop a portable, non-invasive monitoring platform for the assessment of microvascular health in Covid-19 patients requiring mechanical ventilation, in the intensive care setting. Combining two technologies based on state-of-the-art bio-photonics and artificial intelligence, namely time-resolved near-infrared spectroscopy and diffuse correlation spectroscopy, it will enable real-time evaluation of cardiopulmonary interactions. This will provide clinical information of heart-lung interactions in critically ill patients, thereby supporting ventilatory strategies, with a specific target to reduce extubation failure during the process of weaning patients from mechanical ventilation. The project is led by the Institut de Ciències Fotòniques (ICFO) and BioPixS will provide novel phantoms to fast track instrument development. This will enable a standardized approach to characterisation/verification, and also provide quality control during day to day operations of the VASCOVID device. In announcing their participation, BioPixS CEO Sanathana Konugolu Venkata Sekar highlighted “It is a proud moment for us to be in position to utilise our best in class phantoms to support the development and deployment of an instrument with the potential to aid Intensive Care Units across the globe in their care of Covid-19 patients”. Commenting on the announcement Prof Paul Townsend, IPIC Director, said “This is a great example of how world leading Irish research, and it’s advancement to market through start-up companies, is helping to address the Covid-19 pandemic.”
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06.08.2020IPIC to host prestigious Marie Sklodowska-Curie Global Fellowship
The Irish Photonic Integration Centre (IPIC) has been successfully selected by the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 initiative to host a prestigious Marie Sklodowska-Curie Global Fellowship. The successful IPIC's awardee, Dr. Pietro Pampili from the III-Nitride Materials Group, will carry out work as part of a RESENSE initiative, a highly innovative project that seeks to develop new materials for use in UV sensors and whose proposed outcomes will have applications in fields such as industrial processing, space research, defence and medicine. Dr. Pampili is going to carry out the outgoing phase of the project at Nagoya University, Japan, under the joint supervision of Prof. Hiroshi Amano (2014 Nobel Physics Laureate) and Prof. Markus Pristovsek before he returns to Tyndall for the final 12 months under the supervision of Prof. Peter Parbrook. At the start of this project, Dr Pampili will also carry out an initial 3-month secondment period with ON Semiconductor (SensL which was originally a Tyndall spinout in 2004 but was acquired in 2018 by ON Semiconductor), in order to gain a better understanding of the industrial requirements for possible future commercialization of these devices. RESENSE aims to use N-polar AlGaN materials to tackle problems associated with (a) satisfactory p-type doping and (b) separation of the photo-generated carriers. This material orientation has the potential to favour incorporation of p-type impurities and induce higher electric fields for carrier separation. Different Metal Organic Vapour Phase Epitaxy (MOVPE) growth conditions will be studied to control the growth of N-polar AlN templates and magnesium doped AlGaN epilayers. Finally, a prototype of solar-blind UV photodetector based on AlGaN/AlGaN heterostructure will be grown, fabricated and fully characterized. For more information please visit Tyndall website
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05.08.2020Tyndall Launches Bicentennial Celebrations
This year marks the bicentennial of John Tyndall, the physicist for whom we are named and Ireland’s most important Victorian scientist. His achievements range from proving the connection between atmospheric CO2 and the greenhouse effect to, most famously, the explanation for why the sky is blue. A number of festivities encompasses Tyndall Science at Home (02 – 15 August), Heritage Week (15 – 23 August) and Science Week (08 – 15 November) as appropriate bookends for the celebration of a man who is such a significant Irish historical figure and such an important physicist, passionate scientist and dedicated educator. For more information please visit Tyndall website
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JPhys Photonics Emerging Leaders 2020
Congratulations to an IPIC researcher, Dr. Agnieszka Gocalinska, who has been nominated by JPhys Photonics for a prestigious Emerging Leaders 2020 award. In keeping with the Journal of Physics Series' 50th anniversary celebratory initiative in 2017, JPhys Photonics has brought together the best early-career researchers in materials science and published their exceptional work in an annual collection dedicated to 'Emerging leaders'. An emerging leader is defined as a top researcher in their field who completed their PhD in 2009 or later (10 years excluding career breaks). A limited number of early career researchers have been nominated by the journal's Editorial Boards as the most talented and exciting researchers in their generation. Dr. Gocalinska, who is an expert of III-V growth and a recognised leader in MOVPE metamorphic growth, is the only female nominee for the award. For more information please visit the IOPscience website.
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PIADS Summer Conclave 2020
EPSRC and SFI Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in Photonic Integration and Advanced Data Storage (PIADS) has kicked off their Summer Conclave 2020. Join the Team to hear all about the exciting research they have been working on. For more information please visit their Twitter account.
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Second Advertising Campaign for SPARKLE
Second Advertising campaign for SPARKLE is now open. Candidates are welcome to apply for one of the prestigious Marie-Curie H2020 COFUND PostDoctoral Researcher positions in the area of Photonics Research and Innovation. Deadline for submissions is the 30th of September 2020. For more information please visit SPARKLE and academicposts.com
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20.06.2020Pre-Commercialisation Programme Showcase with NDRC
An open invitation to all to join IPIC's Pre-Commercialisation Programme Showcase with NDRC. The event will take place on Monday, the 29th of June 2020, at 10.30 am. Please contact Helen Fullen at helen.fullen@ndrc.ie to receive an invitation for the event.
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22.04.2020Optics & Photonics News – Coronavirus Diaries
As part of the Coronavirus Diaries, Optics & Photonics News spoke to Andrea Pacheco to get her perspective on how the COVID-19 crisis has affected her lives and work, and what the pandemic means for Photonics in general. For further information please see: https://www.osa-opn.org/home/newsroom/2020/april/coronavirus_diaries_andrea_pacheco/
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20.04.2020Respiratory Solution for Emergency Use in the Fight Against COVID19
In response to the global COVID-19 emergency, Tyndall National Institute has established high-volume manufacturing capacity of open access sealed scuba diving masks for non-invasive ventilation of COVID-19 patients globally. The launch of Dmask.ie website has been announced on the 17th of April 2020 and provides resources available to the global community. For further details please see: https://www.tyndall.ie/news/tyndall-launches-respiratory-solutions-site-for-emergency-use-in-the-fight-against-covid19/
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20.02.2020Photonics Public Private Annual Meeting 2020
The next Photonics PPP Annual Meeting will take place on May 27th - 28th, 2020 in the conference centre The EGG in Brussels. Topics covered during the meeting will include discussions on the Horizon Europe programme, developing strategic application roadmaps and seeking new collaboration partners. Location: Brussels, Belgium For further details and online registration see: https://www.photonics21.org
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25.01.2020MIDAS & EUROPRACTICE National Seminar
As part of establishing a strong Irish leadership presence within the European innovation hub ecosystem, Europractice joined MIDAS for a National Irish technology event at Tyndall National Institute. MIDAS Ireland, are the champions of Ireland’s micro and nano-electronics system solutions industry. Organised by Tyndall’s Georgios Fagas, leading members of the technology community in Europe presented at this seminar. Ramsey Selim, Tyndall’s Europractice project lead, highlighted the current status of packaging technologies for integrated photonics, the key solutions present within Tyndall, and the wider European community. The talk also reviewed the advanced photonics packaging low-to-medium volume manufacturing solutions. This seminar aimed to bring the focus of Europe on the Irish technology community with its culture of innovation and shine the spotlight on the entire European ecosystem as a real solution to world challenges in advanced packaging or photonics and micro-electronics. More information
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22.01.2020Launch of MedPhab – dedicated photonics pilot-line for medical diagnostics
MedPhab is an initiative of the Photonics Public Private Partnership connected to Photonics21. The pilot-line was granted funding by the European Commission under Horizon 2020, The Framework Programme for Research and Innovation. Location: Brussels, Belgium More information: https://www.vttresearch.com/media/news/dedicated-photonics-pilot-line-for-medical-diagnostics https://news.cision.com/vtt-info/r/dedicated-photonics-pilot-line-for-medical-diagnostics,c3008868 http://www.photonicsviews.com/dedicated-photonics-pilot-line-for-medical-diagnostics/
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27.12.2019OIDA Workshop On Embedded Photonic Manufacturing for Data Centers
PIXAPP is a proud organiser of a one-day workshop on Optical Fiber Communication on Photonic Manufacturing for Data Centres. The event will take place on the 8th of March 2020 and will host a number of high-profile speakers in the field. Location: San Diego, California, USA More information: https://www.osa.org/en-us/meetings/industry_events/workshop_on_embedded_photonic_manufacturing_for_da/program/
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Photonics 4 European Products of the Future Workshop
Photonics 4 European Products of the Future Location: Tyndall National Institute, Cork, Ireland More information: Photonics_4_European_Products_of_the_Future_Workshop flyer
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29.11.2019Ireland’s Tyndall National Institute claims a record high 2.2W for output power from InGaN SLEDs
The researchers used slanted facets to direct amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) through the GaN substrate with very low feedback, avoiding laser action. More information: http://www.semiconductor-today.com/news_items/2019/nov/tyndall-151119.shtml
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17.10.2019IPIC apart of new research project spanning five universities to focus on new uses for photovoltaic (PV) devices
The partnership includes Arizona State University, MIT , Dublin City University, the Irish Photonic Integration Centre, and Ulster University. More information: https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-10/asu-npr100419.php
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25.09.2019SPIE Photonics West 2020
SPIE Photonics West 2020 Location: The Moscone Center, San Francisco, California, United States More information: https://spie.org/conferences-and-exhibitions/photonics-west/photonics-west-exhibition
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11.09.2019Photonics Ireland at ECOC 2019 – Europe’s largest optical communication exhibition
IPIC and the Tyndall National Institute will be hosting the Photonics Ireland Pavilion at the ECOC Exhibition from 23rd to the 25th September 2019 at the RDS Dublin alongside our industry partners Rockley Photonics, Pilot Photonics, mBryonics and OEWaves and the IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and Science Foundation Ireland. ECOC is Europe’s largest exhibition in the fibre optic communication technology industry and is the leading showcase for the latest products and services across industry and research institutes across the world. IPIC will be showcasing Ireland`s photonics ecosystem and the many opportunities available to grow your career at IPIC, the Tyndall National Institute and our industry partners and we look forward to broad programme of talks and the amazing opportunities to network with key industry and research leaders and for more information about joining us at ECOC please contact us at info@IPIC.ie.
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PIADS Centre for Doctoral Training launches at IPIC
The Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in Photonic Integration and Advanced Data Storage (PIADS) is a partnership between Queen’s University Belfast, the University of Glasgow and IPIC which aims to tackle some of the challenges created by the increasing quantities of data generated by today's society. In particular, PIADS addresses a unique technological opportunity – the intersection of photonic integration and data storage. Its anchor is the participation of Seagate Technology & the technology of Heat Assisted Magnetic Recording (HAMR), an area where Northern Ireland is world leading in research & manufacturing. HAMR is the first truly mass market application for photonic integration, with projected volumes of up to 2 billion data recording heads per annum. Delivering photonic integration for HAMR is expected to open a multitude of new applications and markets that require low-cost integrated photonic solutions, but currently lack the critical volume required to develop the technology. These applications include, augmented/virtual reality systems, fibre-optic communication systems for the home and data centres, smart image-guided surgical instruments and miniature point-of-care and wearable medical diagnostic systems, all of which are currently being developed within IPIC’s platform and industry research programmes. Hence PIADS provides an exciting and unique doctoral training partnership focused on developing researchers with the knowledge and skills required to transform the cost base for photonic integration, which is expected to open new market opportunities for Ireland- and UK-based industry. The CDT offers students a cutting-edge research environment to undertake a diverse and exciting range of topical doctoral research projects which cut across physics, materials and electrical and optical engineering through to applications as diverse as data storage and biosciences. Our doctoral training programme provides a framework for student cohorts to be educated, trained and to learn from industry best practice in distributed working whilst developing specialist technical skills alongside innovation and business skills.
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Getty Images 03.09.2019Exploring the Universe at ECOC 2019
This event is hosted by Tyndall National Institute, the Irish Photonics Integration Centre (IPIC) and Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), in conjunction with the European Conference for Optical Communications (ECOC 2019). Leading physicist Prof. Brian Cox will present his award-winning show, Exploring the Universe to secondary school students from across the country. Professor Cox will be joined by Prof. Liam Barry from Dublin City University will highlight the latest developments in optical fibre technology that underpins today’s internet and Dr Ruth Freeman from SFI will highlight the exciting careers that Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) can offer. Time: 2.30pm – 4.30pm
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Cork Culture Night at Tyndall National Institute
Culture Night is an evening of free events across Ireland where businesses and universities open their doors to the general public in order to engage and entertain. Tyndall National Institute opens its doors this year with demonstrations presented by researchers from Tyndall to the general public of all ages and backgrounds. The event allows Tyndall National Institute to demonstrate the cutting edge work Tyndall conducts and helps inspire future generations of scientists. Time: 5.00pm – 7.30pm More information: https://culturenight.ie/event/tyndall-national-institute-tyndall-national-institute/
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10.06.2019Welcome to our 2019 Summer Undergraduate Bursary Students
On Monday 10th June, we welcomed our 2019 cohort of undergraduate students to IPIC. Over the next 10 weeks, the students will conduct a research project under the supervision of our Principal Investigators and also participate in a bespoke training and development programme. This year 11 students were successfully awarded places on our bursary programme following a competitive application process. The students are currently registered undergraduates across physics, maths, electrical engineering, astrophysics and environmental science courses attending University College Cork, Cork Institute of Technology, Trinity College Dublin, University of Limerick, NUI Galway and Queen’s University Belfast. The IPIC summer undergraduate bursary programme is a core part of IPIC’s Education & Public Engagement programme. It offers undergraduate students the opportunity to undertake research projects in photonics, giving them access to our world class research facilities. The programme gives students the opportunity to experience what a research career might involve and gives them an insight into postgraduate study.
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31.05.2019Training Ireland’s future Photonics research leaders!
The Irish Photonics Integration Centre (IPIC) is embarking on an exciting expansion programme that includes 40 funded PhDs positions available from June 2019. The scholarships will focus on application areas in optical communications, medical devices, diagnostics, AR/VR, and many others, covering research areas from photonics theory, materials growth, device development and fabrication, integration, packaging to full systems development. Positions will be available at our academic partners, Tyndall National Institute, Cork Institute of Technology, Dublin City University, Trinity College Dublin & University College Cork. We are seeking hard-working, passionate candidates in Physics, Electronic Engineering, Chemistry or related subject, keen to pursue training and research in a world-leading research centre. Applications are open to EU and Non-EU candidates. Interested? Please send an email to info@ipic.ie to register your interest in these positions.
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16.05.2019IPIC celebrates International Day of Light 2019
The International Day of Light is a global initiative that provides an annual focal point for the continued appreciation of light and the role it plays in science, culture and art, education, and sustainable development, and in fields as diverse as medicine, communications, and energy. The broad theme of light will allow many different sectors of society worldwide to participate in activities that demonstrates how science, technology, art and culture can help achieve the goals of UNESCO – education, equality, and peace. On 16th May 2019, IPIC marked this global initiative with a full day of activities onsite at Tyndall National Institute. The day began with a visit to the Institute by two local secondary schools, Coláiste Daibhéid and Coláiste and Phiarsaigh. During their visit, the students met with researchers from across IPIC’s four research themes and learned about some of the projects that the groups are working on.
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