Incorporating the University of Southampton OSA Student Chapter, the University of Southampton SPIE Student Chapter and the University of Southampton IEEE Photonics Society.

The University of Southampton Optics and Photonics Society (OPSoc) consists of a group of postgraduate research students in the Faculty of Physical Sciences and Engineering, as well as related departments, at the University of Southampton. It is affiliated to the University of Southampton Student Union.

The students of the Optoelectronics Research Centre formed the society as a means to communicate their research to both internal and external audiences.

This has resulted in a greater interaction between students in the ORC and the wider optics and photonics community. The society encourages social activities that enhances members’ working relationships and provides a break from the hard work of scientific research.

There is an educational aspect to our ventures, with regular trips to scientific sites and seminars in house. Our outreach programme, Lightwave, is a road show taken to schools and extracurricular clubs in the Southampton area and around the south coast, presenting scientific phenomena to primary and secondary school students.

In addition, members of the society further their organisational experience; skills which will be of great value in their future careers.