Some 250 researchers attended the 10th International Conference on Surface Plasmon Photonics (SPP10) at Rice May 21-26. Plasmonics is an interdisciplinary research field that seeks to better understand how light and matter interact at nanometer scales and how to apply that knowledge to improve people’s lives. Rice has had an outsized impact in the field and was the first U.S. site to host the premier biennial conference. Many attendees lodged and dined in Rice’s residential colleges throughout the six-day meeting, affording a unique opportunity to socialize and share ideas with colleagues and to become acquainted with Rice’ campus and the surrounding area.
Conference attendees presented the latest findings from the field and included metamaterials pioneer and keynote speaker Sir John Pendry (above), a past winner of both the Kavli Prize and the Newton Medal for groundbreaking theories about optical nanoscale materials that can be used for devices with unprecedented abilities like “invisibility cloaks” or “perfect lenses.”
The conference’s meetings and poster sessions were held in the Glasscock School of Continuing Studies’ Anderson-Clarke Center. Above, Rice Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Alessandro Alabastri (right) speaks with an SPP10 poster presenter during a May 25 session break.
Photos by Jeff Fitlow/Rice University