Photonics is the science of light generation, detection and manipulation and is used to develop technologies spanning sources and sensors to quantum computers. It provides the backbone of the internet and will be used in autonomous vehicles, health diagnosis and treatments, and the 5G network.
On 15 October 2019, the Royal Society held a conference on The future of photonics at Cardiff City Hall in collaboration with the Compound Semiconductor Applications (CSA) Catapult. The conference aimed to bring to light the vast opportunities of photonics for society and the economy in the broader context of regulation, policy and funding. Experts from industry and academia explored current and potential applications of photonic technologies and the future opportunities and challenges that they present, including assuring the skills pipeline, developing technologies for which there are markets, and funding.