It has been an interesting first quarter of the year. Recently, I gave a talk during the Industrial Affiliates program at CREOL, the College of Optics and Photonics at the University of Central Florida, USA, about Optica’s view of optics and photonics trends.
When I look at the areas predicted to be “the next big thing,” the list includes self-driving cars, artificial intelligence, fusion energy and defense—topics Tom Hausken explored in his January 2026 OPN Market Report column, “What is the Next Big Thing?” But if you look beyond the headlines, it’s clear that a wide range of optics and photonics technologies are the true enablers that make these “next big thing” areas feasible: lasers, sensors, imaging, metrology, integrated photonics, and the materials and manufacturing that bring them into real systems.
That is why I am especially looking forward to the upcoming Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics (CLEO), which takes place this month in Charlotte, NC, USA. This conference is an excellent opportunity to engage with the optics community and celebrate decades of advances in laser science and technology. Crucially, the research topics at CLEO align perfectly with the areas where our field is helping drive impact in high-growth industries such as AI, power and energy, communications and beyond. The breadth of the program is also one of its strengths: quantum optics, semiconductors, new materials and devices, and laser sources and applications sit side by side. The conference itself is structured to maximize engagement across a variety of learning styles and career stages, with invited talks, tutorials, short courses and general conference talks.
My excitement about attending is not only centered around the technical talks. CLEO is an opportunity to recognize Optica award recipients and the chance to celebrate the achievements of Optica Fellows—colleagues whose work has shaped the field and whose mentorship continues to inspire the next generation of optics and photonics professionals.
This month’s issue of OPN reflects that same combination of compelling science, enabling technology and community. “The Lasers Behind Your Screen” takes readers inside the laser toolkit that powers modern display manufacturing: excimer, CO2 and ultrafast sources that enable everything from cutting thin glass to OLED processing. “Restoring a Century-Old Zeiss Refractor” offers a behind-the-scenes exploration of what it takes to revive a historic Carl Zeiss Jena refractor now housed at Belgrade Public Observatory in Serbia—a reminder of how thoughtful optical design, skilled craftsmanship and maintenance can keep a scientific instrument performing for generations.
Together, these and other stories underscore a simple point: When new “next big thing” applications arrive, they stand on decades of photonics innovation that has matured into reliable, scalable processes.
I hope to see many of you at CLEO and that you enjoy this issue of OPN.
—Gisele Bennett, Optica President
