The photonics industry has no shortage of technological breakthroughs, but communicating what those breakthroughs mean – to investors, policymakers, journalists and the wider public – remains a challenge. Simon Andrews of Fraunhofer UK Research outlined the thinking behind a new part of the programming for Photonics Means, which – in its second year – has a dedicated session on communicating science more effectively.
The Photonics100 honoree said the involvement of the BBC at the Glasgow event – on 1 October – will outline the value of reaching different audiences and why researchers need to look beyond the technical details of their work. For Andrews, the event has always been about more than just putting photonics in front of an audience: it is about helping the people working in the sector understand one another – and equipping them to explain their work beyond the industry.
The programme for 2026 is again designed to bring together different perspectives rather than simply present a succession of technical papers. Andrews is keen to distinguish the gathering from a conventional academic conference. That approach is particularly apparent in the session titled Communicating Betterer [sic]. The session is intended to explore how science and technology can be communicated to different audiences, using speakers with experience across broadcast, print journalism, public engagement and political communication.
Among those involved is Kenneth (Ken) Macdonald, a familiar voice from BBC Scotland's science coverage. Macdonald is set to chair a session and share his experience of communicating science to a broad audience. Macdonald is joined by Jill Brown, a former STV journalist who now works as a PR consultant in the city. Andrews says he hopes the combination of broadcast and print experience will bring different perspectives to the discussion. The programme will also reflect on recent dialogue with politicians at Westminster, and look at how LinkedIn remains an important communications channel. The intention is to examine how the same subject might need to be presented differently depending on the audience and the medium. The session's title is deliberately playful. Behind the humour, however, is a serious message about the skills that photonics researchers and industrialists need to develop.
The communications gap
The need for better communication is not confined to journalists and public relations teams. Andrews argues that it is a practical skill for researchers and engineers themselves. Younger researchers and industrialists, he suggests, can be particularly hesitant when faced with the prospect of speaking to the media. “I certainly remember my first time being interviewed by a TV news journalist,” he told Electro Optics. “I think most sensible individuals will find it terrifying.” The point is not that scientists should become media performers. Rather, it is that communicating effectively requires preparation and an understanding of how an interview works. The central communication challenge, according to Andrews, is the tendency of researchers to describe what occupies their own attention, rather than what matters most to the audience.
“The scientist in the lab is sweating buckets and spending 40 all their hours in the week concentrating on that novel component or that amazing new mechanism,” he says. “It’s very human to respond about the thing that occupies their thoughts and their time most.”
The result can be an explanation that is technically accurate but fails to communicate the wider significance of the work. For photonics, that difference is particularly relevant. The sector's technologies underpin a wide range of applications, but the underlying science can be difficult to communicate to people who do not work in the field. “Good science communication is understanding what audience you’re speaking to and what’s important to them,” he says. “And if you can turn that round, then that makes it a bit better.”
The communications discussion comes at a time when the UK photonics community is seeking to strengthen its profile and build greater understanding of the sector. For the industry, the ability to communicate its value extends beyond public awareness. Researchers and companies need to explain their work to potential partners, investors and decision-makers.
The second Photonics Means event is intended to provide space for those conversations, while also bringing together different parts of the UK photonics ecosystem. The Northern Ireland cluster spotlight is one example of that approach, with Andrews highlighting the response from the region and the opportunity for attendees to learn about activity elsewhere in the country.
The Glasgow gathering will also sit alongside a Fraunhofer symposium and a Photonics Leadership Group meeting scheduled for the preceding day. The three events will require distinct registrations.
To register for the Institute of Photonics 30th Anniversary event, in the morning, and the Fraunhofer CAP inaugural Annual Symposium, in the afternoon of September 30, click here.
To register for Photonics Means or to find out more information, click here.
