IUPAP & UNESCO continue the series of International Colloquia on Physics for Society with a talk by Professor Andrew Forbes on June 16, 2025.

The International Union of Pure and Applied Physics, the only international scientific union that covers all areas of physics, and UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, are pleased to invite you to a new session of their series of online interactive colloquia on Physics for Society. This new session will be held on June 16th at 13:00 CEST featuring a talk by Prof. Andrew Forbes from the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa.
Andrew Forbes is a Distinguished Professor at the University of the Witwatersrand where he leads a laboratory that focuses on Structured Light and its applications. He is active in promoting photonics in Africa, a founding member of the Photonics Initiative of South Africa and Director of South Africa’s Quantum Roadmap. He is a Fellow of SPIE, Optica, the South African Institute of Physics (SAIP), and an elected member of the Academy of Science of South Africa. He has won several awards, including the national NSTF Photonics award (2015), the Alexander von Humboldt Georg Forster Prize and Fellowship (2020), the SAIP Gold Medal (2020), the Sang Soo Lee award from the Korean Optical Society and OPTICA (2022) and the Physics prize by TWAS (2024). In this opportunity Prof. Forbes will give a brief overview of his research on Quantum Structured Light and highlight the activities of South Africa’s Quantum Technology Initiative.

The IUPAP/UNESCO International Colloquia on Physics for Society aims to bring together leading scientists, policymakers, and industry experts from around the world to establish a multidisciplinary and cross-regional collaboration platform. It seeks to explore the latest advancements in quantum science and technology, promote knowledge sharing and innovation, inspire collective wisdom across diverse fields, foster the integration of quantum science with other disciplines, and contribute to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

The program:
• 13:00 – Opening Remarks & Speaker Introduction
Moderator: Dr. Christine Darve
Opening Remarks:
– Dr. Amal Kasry, Chief of Basic Sciences, Research Innovation, and Engineering, UNESCO
– Prof. Silvina Ponce Dawson, President, IUPAP
• 13:05 – Keynote Address
Speaker: Prof. Andrew Forbes
Duration: ~30 minutes
• 14:35 – Reflections & Dialogue
A 10-minute exchange between Prof. Andrew Forbes, Prof. Silvina Ponce Dawson, and Dr. Amal Kasry
• 14:45 – Q&A Session from the Audience
Moderated by Prof. Silvina Ponce Dawson and Dr. Amal Kasry
Duration: ~15 minutes