YSU to host prominent Siegman International School for the first time in Armenia

The Siegman International School was launched in 2014 at Stanford University through the initiative of the international organization OPTICA and IPG Photonics. Over the past decade, the school has been hosted in various countries, including Spain, Germany, Mexico, Denmark, the USA, and Ireland. Eleven years later, in 2025, YSU, in collaboration with OPTICA and the Free University of Brussels, will host over one hundred participants from July 27 to August 2. 

What is the Siegman School?

Named after Anthony Siegman—who has played a pivotal role over more than fifty years in establishing and advancing laser physics, as well as pioneering numerous innovations in the field—this school offers students and young scientists the opportunity to deeply explore the fundamentals of laser physics and its applications across various fields of science and technology. 

During the one-week program, internationally renowned scientists and representatives from leading industrial organizations will deliver lectures. The curriculum covers topics such as laser design, operating principles, nonlinear properties of active media from different origins, integrated nanoscale laser systems, diverse applications, and current challenges in the field. Representatives of Armenia’s scientific groups specializing in laser physics, including researchers from YSU Institute of Physics and the CANDLE Synchrotron Research Institute, will also present reports on the development of the field within the country.

Mushegh Rafayelyan, Head of the Photonics AI Lab at YSU Institute of Physics and Co-Chair of the School, highlighted the numerous ongoing collaborations established with international partners.    

"Siegman is an internationally recognized platform that unites leading scientists and young researchers worldwide around a common goal—boosting the development of the scientific ecosystem. This school is unique in offering opportunities to acquire new knowledge in laser physics, be at the forefront of innovation, and establish scientific collaborations," he emphasized.

Who can participate?

Tatevik Chalyan, a researcher at the Free University of Brussels and YSU alumna, noted that annually up to 100 master’s and PhD students are invited to participate in the program. This provides them an opportunity to present their research, scientific findings, and conclusions.

"For the first time, the Siegman School will welcome students from 25 countries worldwide at YSU, marking an unprecedented scale. Participants were selected by a jury based on applications submitted to OPTICA, according to qualitative criteria," she said, adding that the school offers exceptional opportunities, particularly for participants from developing countries. 

Who will be hosted and teach at YSU as part of the program?

The international school will feature lectures by professors from universities in the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Romania, the United States, India, Belgium, and other countries.

Among the distinguished lecturers are prominent scientists such as Jim Kafka (USA), President of OPTICA and designer of the first titanium-sapphire ultrafast laser. YSU will also host Eric Van Stryland (USA), co-founder of the Siegman School and former President of OPTICA, renowned for developing the z-scan technique used to measure nonlinear properties of materials. Applications of nonlinear materials include fully optical switches, sensors, and lasers. 

Other invited lecturers include Martijn de Sterke (Australia), Carlo Sirtori (France), Armenian-Italian physicist Mher Ghulinyan, and Henry Helvajian (USA). Students and lecturers from the Free University of Brussels will also participate.

How did the Free University of Brussels become involved in organizing the Siegman International School?

Tatevik Chalyan, OPTICA ambassador and a key organizer of the 2025 Siegman School, emphasized that the decision to host the school in Armenia was made through collaboration with OPTICA’s international partners. YSU is the host university for 2025, with the Free University of Brussels as a co-organizer.

"The school’s exclusivity is also supported by strong financial backing: YSU has received a $40,000 grant to organize the school, with additional support from THORLABS, one of the world’s largest suppliers of optical components," she said.

Together with Professor Heidi Ottevaere from the Free University of Brussels and Mushegh Rafayelyan (both co-chairs of the school), Tatevik Chalyan developed a unique one-week program featuring leading scientists in a short time frame.  

According to her, YSO Student Chapter of the international optics organizations Optica and SPIE is also actively participating in the organization of the school—an involvement that opens new horizons for YSU students to take part in international scientific events.

What will the international school offer?

The international school offers participants the opportunity not only to gain theoretical knowledge about laser physics and its applications, but also to acquire valuable hands-on experience by working with leading experts in the field. According to the organizers, the Siegman International School will serve as a platform for strengthening existing scientific ties and establishing new collaborations among research institutes, university-based scientific groups, and laboratories operating within this field around the world.

At the conclusion of the program, all participants will receive certificates confirming their participation and the knowledge gained.