In late 2013, the UN General Assembly proclaimed 2015 as the International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies. This month, Waterloo region joins the festivities with an innovative, interactive exhibit celebrating light at THEMUSEUM in downtown Kitchener.

Presented in partnership with the University of Waterloo, UW's student chapter of The Optical Society, the Institute for Quantum Computing, and supported by local companies including Christie Digital, COM DEV, Fibertech Optica, and Teledyne DALSA, the exhibit, entitled “Light Illuminated,” invites visitors to explore the role light plays in our daily lives. Visitors can try a laser maze, body heat cameras, colour-mixing stations and hands-on polarization stations, enjoying themselves while they learn a little optics and physics in the process.

As it states on www.light2015.org, the UN’s goal in declaring a year devoted to light was to “raise global awareness about how light-based technologies promote sustainable development and provide solutions to global challenges in energy, education, agriculture and health. Light plays a vital role in our daily lives and is an imperative cross-cutting discipline of science in the 21st century. It has revolutionized medicine, opened up international communication via the Internet, and continues to be central to linking cultural, economic and political aspects of the global society.“

Teledyne DALSA salutes the “illuminating” educational examples developed by the students and staff involved in this fascinating exhibit, and encourages everyone to visit and experience it.

The exhibit continues into December. For hours and admission details, visit THEMUSEUM’s website at www.themuseum.ca.