The European Optical Society Annual Meeting (EOSAM) 2026 brought the optics and photonics community together in Tampere, Finland, from 24–28 August 2026, for a week filled with scientific exchange, inspiring discussions, new connections and memorable moments.
Organized by the European Optical Society (EOS) in close collaboration with Photonics Finland, Tampere University, and the PREIN Flagship, EOSAM 2026 welcomed 508 participants from 33 countries to Tampere. The meeting marked a particularly special year for EOS, celebrating 35 years since the creation of the European Optical Society and 20 years of EOSAM as an annual platform for the optics and photonics community.
The conference was chaired by General Chairs Goëry Genty and Juha Toivonen of Tampere University and PREIN Photonics Flagship, together with Program Chairs Jyrki Saarinen (University of Eastern Finland, PREIN Photonics Flagship) and Ignacio Moreno (EOS President). As always, the EOS Office, led by Executive Director Elina Koistinen, coordinated the meeting from start to finish, with the local team at Tampere University and PREIN Photonics Flagship, Kristiina Pispala and Tea Vellamo, with the support of Photonics Finland ensuring every detail was in place. A big thank you also goes to the many student volunteers from Tampere University, whose energy and hard work behind the scenes helped everything run so smoothly.
The meeting featured eight Topical Meetings, five Focused Sessions, 44 invited talks, 223 oral presentations, 112 posters, plenary lectures from leading researchers, including Nobel laureate Anne L’Huillier, as well as tutorials, roundtables, a sold-out exhibition with 23 companies, and dedicated activities for students and early-stage researchers.
Beyond the scientific programme, participants connected through the networking cruise to Viikinsaari, the welcome reception at Tampere City Hall, and the conference dinner, making EOSAM 2026 a memorable gathering for the optics and photonics community.
Read our full recap, including highlights from the scientific programme, exhibition, networking activities, awards and more: Optics Under the Northern Light