International Workshop on Optics and Photonics Cadi Ayyad University, Department of , Faculty of Sciences Semlalia Marrakech, October 5-8, 2010

For the rest of my life I want to reflect on what light is.

Albert Einstein, 1916

Introduction

The International Workshop on Optics and Photonic (IWOP) will be the first of this kind at Cadi Ayyad University Marrakech, Morocco. This workshop, endorsed by OSA, EPS, SPIE, ICTP and UNESCO, will provide a quick review of basic theory of optics, leading on to the frontiers of optics and its applications.

The goal of IWOP is to further enhance the ongoing activities for the better understanding of conceptual optics in Africa, Asia and Latin America, and also to develop south-south collaboration in scientific and educational research. It will also provide a good opportunity of interaction among the invited speakers and local hosts to share their research in optics and photonics in a very friendly atmosphere.

Many activities on Active Learning in Optics and Photonics (ALOP) have taken place since 2005 in Africa, Latin America and Asia, under the umbrella of UNESCO. The main objective is the training of young teachers/scientists from developing countries, to have better understanding of optics and photonics by using hands-on activities. With IWOP our aim is to go one step ahead in training young scientists to be good researcher in this field.

Insufficient attention has been paid to the development of Optics and Photonics in most developing countries. Elementary optics courses at undergraduate level need improvement and revision. In the case of photonics, the situation is even worse because there are no introductory or advance courses currently in the curricula of most of the leading universities in North Africa, for example.

Participants* are expected to be young scientists and students enrolled in a PhD program in their respective countries. IWOP 2010 will provide boarding and lodging facilities for participants as much as possible. African, Asian and Latin American participants must make all efforts to secure travel from their respective home institutions. Limited support for travel will be available for students from economically developing countries**. Participants are expected to present their scientific contributions as poster presentations (English or French).

This workshop is hoped to be the first in a series, to be followed by similar workshops on Optics and Photonics in Asia and Latin America in coming years.

Themes

IWOP will focus on the basic theory of optics, leading on to the frontiers of optics and its application.

I. Introduction to Optics, Lasers and Photonics  Geometrical and wave optics  Electrodynamics- revisited  Coherence theory  Non-linear optics  Basics of photonics  Lasers systems  Nano-optics fundamentals  Fibre optics: an introduction  Statistical optics

* Excepted number of participants 45 ** For travel grant, applicants must apply as early as possible

II. Optics for Life Sciences  Theory of image formation  Optics and Laser applications for cancer treatment  Optometry and vision

III. Optics for Measurement Sciences  LIDAR for pollution measurement  Modern optics in the investigation of atomic fluids  Optics applied to time and frequency metrology  Photonic Crystal Fiber-Development and applications  Supercontinuum generation in a photonic crystal fibre

IV. Photonics, Optronics and Nano-Technology  Applications of nano-optics  LEDs and their applications  Photonic and band–gaps analysis

Workshop committees

International Advisory Committee Minella Alarcon, UNESCO, France Vanderlei S. Bagnato, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil Mario Bertolotti, University of Rome I, Italy Majed Chergui, EPF de Lausanne, Vasudevan Lakshminarayanan, University of Waterloo, Canada Oscar Martinez, University of , Joseph Niemela, Abdus Salam ICTP, Italy Maria J. Yzuel, University of Barcelona, Spain

Directors Imrana Ashraf, Quaid-i-Azam University, Pakistan Miguel Alonso, University of Rochester, USA Khalid Berrada, Cadi Ayyad University, Morocco

Invited speakers

Ismail Aboudihab, Cadi Ayyad University, Morocco Miguel Alonso, University of Rochester, USA Imrana Ashraf, Quaid-i-Azam University, Pakistan Vanderlei S. Bagnato, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil Mohammed Benaissa, CNRST, Morocco Khalid Berrada, Cadi Ayyad University, Morocco Mario Bertolotti, University of Rome I, Italy Anna Consortini, University of Florence, Italy Taieb Gasmi, Saint Louis University, Madrid, Spain Oscar Martinez, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina Ahmadou Wagué, Cheikh Anta Diop University, Senegal Magnus Willander, University of Linkoping, Sweden Mourad Zghal, University of 7 th November at Carthage, Tunisia

ContactContact and - Information information

[email protected] http://www.ucam.ac.ma/iwop2010 Fax: +212 5 2443 7410 Tel.: +212 6 6161 0002

No registration fees applied to IWOP participants Deadline of registration on September 15, 2010

Accommodation

The organizing committee will provide boarding and lodging facilities free of charges for all participants giving a poster presentation during the period of the workshop at the guest house of Cadi Ayyad University from October 4 to 8, 2010. In addition, we have obtained special rates for hotel accommodation of the workshop participants, but to qualify for these rates, reservation should be made through the conference organization committee. You are kindly requested to make your reservation as soon as possible, as the number of rooms available at this rate is limited to 20. A total of 1000 MAD (USD 125), including taxes, was negotiated for double room at the Imperial Plaza Hotel (4*) for 4 nights including breakfast:

(http://www.hotel-imperialplaza.com/eng_index.php).

Cadi Ayyad University

The Cadi Ayyad University of Marrakech is the largest and the oldest in the south region of Morocco. It was established in 1978 and now it has around 1200 professors/researchers and over 30.000 students with 13 Faculties, Institutes and Engineering schools. According to the evaluation of the national higher education council, the university occupies top positions in many different areas of research and Education; it ranks first among all Moroccan universities. For many years, the Cadi Ayyad University has been the first ranked in North Africa and one of the best in Africa. In 2008 the university counted more than 200 national and international funded projects in education and research. In June 2010, a UNESCO Chair in “Teaching Physics” was created at the university.

Marrakech city..

Marrakech has had a long and colourful history since its founding by the Berber Almoravids in 1062. It was the capital of an Islamic empire that reached from central Spain to West Africa and was called the ‘Pink City’ because of the colour of the local earth used in its construction.

Marrakech is Morocco's second largest city (after ) and is the administrative hub of southern Morocco. The real magic of the city can be found in its cosmopolitan atmosphere and magnificent location. Behind Marrakech, the impressive peaks of the Atlas mountain range stretch towards the sky and are covered in snow during the winter.

Marrakech is a wonderful combination of delightful aromas, bright colourful marketplaces and the contrasting arid desert. Sometimes called Morocco City, this vibrant destination has long been known as the meeting place of southern tribesmen and Berber villagers.

Djemaa El Fna (also spelled Jemaa-el-Fna), the busy heart of the city, is the best place to experience the wonderful ambience and delight in the performances of musicians, dancers, acrobats, drummers, comedians and storytellers unweaving elaborate tales of adventure and mystery through their art forms. Sumptuous delicacies including moist kebabs are set up on rows of tables. Away from the main scene, alleyways snake out into the dark and you’ll find vendors selling herbs, exotic jewellery, spices, carpets and metalwork.

Marrakech is also home to incredible architectural wonders, including the Agdal and , the with their detailed carvings and the finest example of an Islamic monument in North Africa, the Koutoubia Minaret.

Along with Méknes, Fez and Rabat, Marrakech is one of Morocco’s four Imperial cities. Unique in its Berber, rather than Arab origins, Marrakech blossomed from the cultures of many Atlas tribes including the Maghrebis, which are Saharan nomads as well as former slaves from Africa, Sudan, Senegal and Timbuktu. The residents here are friendly and warm, with a good sense of humour.

Morocco’s official language is Arabic, but Berber is also spoken by some. French is widely spoken throughout the country and English is understood in the main tourist areas.