100 people
20 invited speakers
9 countries
OPTO is a for students, by students conference. In 2024, we had the pleasure to host the 19th addition in Prague, thr first time outside of Poland. Thanks to the support of 12 partners, we were able to host over 100 people from 9 ocuntries.
Student focused
To offer the attending students the best possible experience, we included talks on topics such as Science communication, Impostor syndrome and also a panel discussion with CEOs of several startups, hosted by Claus Roll from Optica. However, OPTO is still a conference so every student had the option to present their talk or a poster, depending on their choice. And because many students were nearing the end of their university life, we also included a photo booth where they could have their professional headshots taken!
Social events
Netwroking was a crucial part when it came to program planning. Strong network of contacts is one of the most important things a young researcher has. That’s why we held 2 networking events with 3 more tours in the city and nearby facilities - ELI Beamlines and ÚFE at the Czech Academy of Sciences.
Recognized for its quality
This year, we were awarded 2nd place in SPIE Presidential award for our activites, including the OPTO2024 conference, especially for our focus on mental health issues. Additionally, many attending students responded in their after-conference feedback, that it was the best conference they have ever attended!