Activities

We have several projects related to scientific outreach for the general public and the training of our chapter members.

Projects of Scientific outreach

Guided visits to the Laboratory of Optics

Throughout the year, we receive visits of students from primary and secondary schools, or the general public. In these visits to the Optics Lab, we carry out very visual Physics experiments related to light, adapted to the knowledge of the audience. The experiments cover diverse fields such as color, reflection and refraction, image formation, fluorescence and phosphorescence, holography or polarization. In the case of high school visits, the activity is usually accompanied by an introductory talk. Take a look at our primary education or secondary education tabs for more information.

Activities in Educational centers

We go to educational centers to carry out scientific outreach activities on Physics, normally focused on Optics and light. Take a look at our primary education or secondary education tabs for more information.

International Day of Light

Every 16th May we celebrate the International Day of Light, an international event commemorating the first emission of laser light, on 16th May 1960. This global initiative aims to highlight the role that light plays in today’s world.

Visit our page of activities around the International Day of Light.

Visibility of Women Scientists and gender inequilities

Exhibition “Scientific Women”.  On the occasion of February 11, the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, in 2017 we prepared an exhibition on the work of various scientists throughout history that was exhibited at the USAL Faculty of Sciences.

See the exhibition “Scientific Women” online

Pint of Science: “From Atoms to Galaxies”

The Pint of Science is an international event that tries to connect society with science through popular science talks in bars. Since 2017 we have organized the section “From Atoms to Galaxies” in Salamanca.

Scientific outreach talks

Occasionally we organize science outreach talks given by one of our members or by an invited speaker. In 2021 we organize the cycle of online conferences “Once upon a Nobel” in collaboration with other student societies.

Welcome Fairs

In the months of September and October we participate in some Welcome Fairs to make ourselves known in the city, and in particular among the university community.

Scientific outreach videos

Since the origin of  OSAL Student Chapter’s Youtube channel in 2016, , we have created audiovisual content about light properties and optics phenomena: reflection and refraction, interference, diffraction, holography, polarization, the electromagnetic spectrum and its regions, the perception of color or the characteristics of laser light. Visit our YouTube channel and the video section of this website!

Outreach through social media

We create content on social media (Twitter, Instagram y Facebook) using striking images or surveys to spred optics phenomena and concepts.

Book “The laser, the light of our time”

This open access book was published in 2010 to try to bring the general public closer to one of the most fundamental tools of our time, with scientific rigor and accessible language.

Download “The laser, the light of our time”

Outreach events in scientific conferences

Quantum Latino 2021

We organized a remote outreach activity with schools in Spain and South America as part of the Quantum Latino conference on Quantum Information Science and Technology, held from June 8-10, 2021.

Members training project

Op-Sessions 

These are seminars on some current research topics in Optics organized in collaboration with the Laser and Photonics Applications research group (ALF-USAL).

Organization of scientific events

IONS-9 Salamanca

The IONS-9 Salamanca International Chapters meeting held from 7-9th April 2011 was the IONS (International OSA Network of Students) in Europe with the largest audience until then.

I Workshop of Optica Student Chapters in Spain

In collaboration with other Spanish chapters, we organized the 1st Optical Student Chapters Workshop in Spain, held on May 20, 2021 in a virtual format.

Participation in congresses and scientific conferences

Spanish Optical Society Meeting RNO 2021

We presented the poster “Optics outreach in times of a pandemic: online activities by OSAL student chapter” at the Spanish Optical Society Meeting held from November 22-24, 2021.

View Poster   |  View Abstract

I Workshop Mujeres en Óptica y Fotónica 2019

We participated in this event organized by the Area of Women in Optics and Photonics of ​​the Spanish Society of Optics (SEDOPTICA-MOF) in September 2019 as a meeting point for women in the Optics and Photonics community in Spain.

Laser Khet Soirées

Khet is a strategy game similar to chess in which lasers are used. Some afternoons we organize this social event at Café-Bar Puccini, and in particular, the San Alberto Khet Tournament, on the occasion of the Science Faculty festivity, has become one of the traditional events of our student chapter. Visit our Laser Khet page for more information.

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