Applied Photonics Award

About the "Applied Photonics Award"
How can I apply?

The Applied Photonics Award honours outstanding theses in the field of photonics.

As key technologies, optics and photonics contribute to solving challenges facing mankind today. The Applied Photonics Award was created to recognize particularly original and innovative theses that address the topics of applied photonics.

The "Applied Photonics Award" is a prize for the promotion of young researchers for theses that are particularly relevant in the field of applied photonics. The award is organized by the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering IOF in Jena. The institute has been conducting application-oriented research in the field of photonics for over 30 years and develops innovative optical systems for controlling light.

You can apply for the Applied Photonics Award annually from April 1 to June 30. Eligible are all bachelor, master, diploma theses as well as dissertations (German/English), which have been registered at a German university or college and have been evaluated by the supervisor/appraiser in the current calendar year or in the previous year. The thesis must be considered passed by the time the application is submitted. Applicants can come from a wide range of disciplines - from mathematics or chemistry to applied optics and physics to materials or life sciences.

The “Applied Photonics Award” is honored with prize money. All award winners also have the opportunity to present their thesis to a broad specialist audience.

You can find more detailed information about the application process here.

The Jury

The Applied Photonics Award is intended to honor work that deals with innovative and economically viable optical technologies for sustainable living and business. For this reason, the jury consists of various representatives from industry and science.

The Sponsors 2025

This year's Applied Photonics Award is again being presented with the kind support of the Association of German Engineers (VDI), the State Development Corporation Thuringia LEG as well as the companies JENOPTIK and Trumpf.

The Organizer

The Applied Photonics Award is organized by the Fraunhofer Society (Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Angewandten Forschung e.V.) and its Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering IOF.

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