The International Year of Light (IYL) Open Day at KAUST took place on Thursday, December 3, 2015. The event was held to celebrate the impact light has on human welfare and highlight the importance of light research as one of the most challenging fields in contemporary science.

The open day exhibition showcased the latest technological developments in light research, with special emphasis on photonics and LED-based technologies and on the innovative applications they will bring to the energy and communication sectors in the future.

All exhibits and demonstrations were provided by researchers from the University's Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Science and Engineering Division (CEMSE) and the Physical Science and Engineering Division (PSE) under the direction of Boon Ooi, professor of Electrical Engineering.

The KAUST IYL Open Day is one of many events organized worldwide to celebrate 2015 as the UNESCO Year dedicated to light. The event was designed to promote a deeper understanding of the latest achievements in light research, taking the public by hand on a journey across the history of light from the first studies of optics 1,000 years ago to the latest discoveries in optical communications, medicine, agriculture and the energy sector.