About Us

University of Victoria Optical Society

Welcome! The University of Victoria Optical Society (UVOS) is a student based group founded in 2013 that promotes student research in optics and photonics. We currently have two sponsors; Optica and the International Society for Optics and Photonics (SPIE).

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Member Benefits

SPIE Member Benefits

  • Discounts: Discounts SPIE conferences and courses.
  • Journal Subscriptions: Free access to your choice from one of many SPIE journals.
  • Invited Lecturers: A lecturer can be chosen from a list of visiting lecturers annually to give an invited talk at our university.
  • Conferences: One club officer can be chosen each year to attend the annual SPIE Optics and Photonics conference and will receive a travel grant of at least $1000 US to pay for travel, Lodging and food.
  • Club Grants: Annual grants for club activities

Optica Member Benefits

  • Discounts: Discounts on event registration, courses and publications.
  • Journal Subscriptions: Free subscription to Optics and Photonics News and Physics Today.
  • Invited Lecturers: A lecturer from a list of over 1000 Travelling lecturers can be chosen annually to give a talk at our university
  • Conferences: One member can attend the annual Frontiers in Optics conference and will have their transportation, lodging, and conference fee covered. This conference has special sessions dedicated to professional development.
  • Club Grants: Annual grants for club activities. There are also grants for optics related seminar available.

Latest News

Lectures

Invited Lecture by Dr. Steve Blair

On Wednesday, July 9, 2025, we had the pleasure of welcoming Professor Steve Blair from the University of Utah to the University of Victoria for a guest seminar. Professor Blair, …

Chalk Talk

Chalk Talk by Aruna Kumarasiri

In a recent chalk talk, Aruna Kumarasiri, a chemistry PhD candidate at University of Victoria, shared insights from ongoing research exploring how to study molecular behavior at surfaces without relying …

Get in touch

We’d love to hear from you!

The UVIC Optical Society is a collaboration of both the SPIE student chapter and Optica student chapter. Our club was founded in 2013 and since then we have held many events and given great opportunities to our student members. Most members of our student club are members of both SPIE and OSA. Being a member of each club comes with many benefits.



University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
+1-250-858-1450
uvicos@uvic.ca