Home > Get Involved > Technical Groups

Simulight Optics Challenge

Showcase your modeling expertise! Submit a video to the challenge by 07 October 2024.

Get Involved

Optical modeling is a cornerstone of both our academic research and industrial product development. The Simulight Optics Challenge, created by the Optica Technical Groups and designed to foster community building, offers you the perfect opportunity to showcase your modeling expertise. The Simulight Optics Challenge invites participants to create educational tutorial videos that demonstrate step-by-step simulation methodologies in photonics. The goal is to build a library of resources that help others learn how to perform simulations using specific software or programming languages.

Members are encouraged to create a 5-minute video demonstrating a simulation of an optical phenomenon. Judges from the sponsoring Optica Technical Groups will then select five outstanding entries to win USD $400.

The winning simulations will then be featured in a series of workshops. Members of the community are invited to attend these sessions, learn about the demonstrations, and ask in-depth questions. The conversation will continue after the workshops, too, with the creation of a Slack channel for everyone to join.

How to Enter the Simulight Optics Challenge

Create a 5-minute video demonstrating an optical phenomenon such as ray tracing simulations, Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD), Beam Propagation Method (BPM), Finite Element Method (FEM), physical optics, semiconductor optics/photonic crystals, optical interconnects, system and layout design, quantum optics, or quantum circuits using software of your choice. You can use a software, such as COMSOL, Ansys, Ansys - Lumerical, Ansys - Zemax, Photon Design, CODE V, TracePro, OSLO, LabVIEW, MATLAB, or open source programming languages or packages, such MEEP, MPB, Python etc. This list is not exhaustive. If your software isn't specifically mentioned but demonstrates optical phenomena or is related by design and application, we encourage you to consider applying.

Videos must by submitted to Optica by 07 October 2024. Send your video to tgactivities@optica.org.

Five winners will be announced on 18 October 2024. Each of the winners will receive a USD $400 prize from Optica and Photon Design. Members of the executive committee for the Optical Fabrication and Testing, Imaging Optical Design, NonImaging Optical Design, Integrated Photonics, Nanophotonics, and Optical Biosensors Technical Groups will serve as judges for the challenge.

Have a question about the challenge? Email us at tgactivities@optica.org.

Submission Guidelines

What We Are Looking For:

Tutorial Format: Presenting a clear and valuable tutorial is as important as achieving accurate results. You have the creative liberty to decide how to produce your video. Some guidelines:
- Appearance: You may choose to appear on camera or remain off-screen; it’s entirely up to you.
- Narration: Use your own voice, text annotations, or AI voice tools to narrate your script. The message and the content are the most important aspects.
- Presentation Style: It’s up to you how you present the material, but the tutorial must be valuable and clear to the viewer. You can screen-record yourself doing the simulation. You can use any video editing software of your choice to package your main submission.
Educational Focus: Emphasize teaching the simulation methodology and tools used rather than simply showcasing final results or explaining modeling features.

What to Avoid:

PowerPoint-Only Presentations: Please avoid submitting videos that are merely recordings of PowerPoint presentations or slideshows. The tutorial should be an interactive and practical demonstration of the simulation process, not a slide-based lecture.
Research Results: Do not present your research results, especially if they are unpublished. While it’s acceptable to base your tutorial on a problem statement similar to your research, ensure that you do not disclose any sensitive or proprietary data that could interfere with future publications.
Lack of Instructional Value: Avoid videos that simply explain modeling features without providing instructional value. The focus should be on teaching the viewer how to perform the simulation step by step rather than just describing the features or outcomes.

Video Length:

Ideal Length: Aim for a video around 5 minutes long.
Flexibility: Longer videos are acceptable if your tutorial requires more time to cover the material adequately.

Presentation Style:

Engaging Delivery: Keep the content engaging and accessible to viewers with a basic understanding of photonics.
Use of Timelapses: Utilize timelapse editing for repetitive or time-consuming steps to maintain viewer interest.
Clarity and Pace: If you choose to include spoken narration, speak clearly and at a moderate pace to ensure that instructions are easy to follow.
Visual Aids: Incorporate annotations, zoom-ins, or highlights to draw attention to important details on the screen.

Simulight Optics Challenge Workshops

The winners of the challenge will be asked to share their simulation during workshops the week of 21 October 2024. The workshops will also include a session with our sponsor, Photon Design.

The workshops will be held in a Zoom Meeting, giving attendees a chance to interact directly with the creators of the simulations. It will be a chance to ask detailed questions, get real-time feedback, and connect with members of your community.

As a selected winner, you will have the opportunity to present a live workshop based on the tutorial you submitted. This workshop will be an extended version of your original simulation, allowing you to expand on the topic, provide additional insights, and modify the problem statement to include more advanced concepts or background information.

The workshop will last 45 minutes, where you’ll walk the audience through your simulation in more detail, followed by a 15-minute Q&A session. Since it’s a live event, participants may ask questions during the presentation, so be prepared for interactive discussions throughout the session. This is an excellent opportunity to engage with the audience, share your expertise, and contribute to the broader photonics community.

The conversation will continue after the workshops, too! Optica will set up a Slack channel for the speakers and participants to join. This platform will provide an opportunity for long-term discussions, interactions, and networking, facilitating continuous learning and collaboration.

This activity is organized for you by: