INL Marks a Decade of Celebrating the International Day of Light

May 25, 2026

On 18 May, the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL) marked its annual celebration of the International Day of Light. Observed worldwide on 16 May, this UNESCO initiative honours the scientific breakthroughs made possible through light, across several fields, including medicine, communication, and energy. Having first marked the occasion in 2016, this year’s edition holds special significance as INL’s tenth anniversary of the celebration. Organised by Group Leader Jana Nieder, the event drew 20 participants around the theme “The Dark Side of the Moon”, bringing together researchers, students, and contributors to explore the interplay between light and darkness.

The programme opened with a talk by representatives of the North Space association, offering an introduction to the association and a deep-dive on the Artemis II moon flyby NASA expedition. Four INL researchers then took to the stage for a range of presentations covering nanotechnology for space, quantum communication and computation with light, materials for energy harvesting, and advanced optical methods for space and nanotechnology research.

The event also had plenty to offer beyond the lecture programme. Attendees took part in a quiz, lab tours, and sunspot telescope observations, alongside quantum and prism experiments, and image segmentations inspired by the iconic cover of Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon.

This year’s celebration, much like those before it, stands as a testament to INL’s dedication to advancing awareness and scientific literacy in quantum science.

A sincere thank you goes to Jana Nieder, Rosana Dias, David Gunn, Siva Sankar, Mariana Carvalho, João Azevedo, Artur Andrishak, and Ali Shojaee, whose generosity in sharing their expertise made the day truly memorable.