GIST and APRI Successfully Conclude Laser and Photonics Summer School

On the 18th, the Institute of Advanced Photonics Technology held the international educational program "Laser and Photonics Summer School." Provided by Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology

Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) announced on the 21st that the Advanced Photonics Research Institute (APRI) held the international educational program "Laser and Photonics Summer School (SSOLLA 2025)."

SSOLLA (Summer School of Laser and Light Applications), held on the 18th, is an international educational program that APRI has organized annually since 2010, marking its 15th session this year. The program is designed for students and researchers specializing in photonics from around the world to spend five days in residence, learning a wide range of topics from the fundamentals to the applications of laser and optical technologies, while directly experiencing state-of-the-art research infrastructure.

This year, 13 students and researchers from seven Asian countries?Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Cambodia, Taiwan, Indonesia, and Pakistan?participated, creating a platform for talent exchange and cooperation in photonics across national borders.

The participants were affiliated with major universities and research institutions in Asia, such as institutes under the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Royal University of Phnom Penh in Cambodia, and University of Malaya in Malaysia. They took part in a total of seven specialized lectures and hands-on sessions led by GIST faculty and APRI researchers.

The courses covered a wide range of advanced laser and photonics technologies, including the fundamentals and applications of high-power and fiber lasers, nonlinear optics, nanophotonics, biomedical optics, and quantum optics laser safety. Participants also toured world-class research facilities such as GIST's "Ultrashort Quantum Beam Special Research Center," experiencing firsthand the competitiveness of Korean photonics technology.

Ko Dokyung, Director of the Advanced Photonics Research Institute, stated, "SSOLLA has established itself not just as an educational program, but as an international cooperation platform where the next generation of photonics talents in Asia can interact and collaborate." He added, "We will continue to expand connections with more countries to share GIST's photonics capabilities with the world and further strengthen our role as a hub for global joint research."