Columbia Hosts Inaugural PANYC Symposium for Emerging Researchers

On Friday, June 26, 2026, Columbia University hosted the inaugural Photonics, Atomic Physics, and Optical Materials Student & Postdoc New York Conference (PANYC), a one-day symposium bringing together student and postdoctoral researchers in photonics, atomic physics, quantum materials, and other related fields from across the New York City area. Organized by Columbia PhD students Ali Binai Motlagh and Eric Rong, and postdoctoral research scientist and Optica Ambassador Sai Kanth Dacha, the event drew more than 75 attendees from nearly 15 institutions, including CUNY, NYU, Princeton, Rutgers, and Yale, with the goal of sharing research, building professional relationships, and strengthening ties between institutions.

The symposium featured two keynote sessions. The first was delivered by Ellen Neff, who is the science communications manager for the Columbia Quantum Initiative, who spoke about her path into science communication and shared her perspective on communicating research to technical and non-technical audiences alike — an essential skill often overlooked in academic training. The second keynote speaker, Dr. René-Jean Essiambre, a Distinguished Member of Technical Staff at Nokia Bell Labs, told the fascinating history of telecommunications research at Bell Labs before discussing his team’s recent work on classical and quantum communication. The program also included two oral presentation sessions and a poster session, giving a total of 20 students and postdocs a chance to present their work and connect with local peers. 

PANYC was made possible by the support of Columbia Electrical Engineering, the Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics (APAM), and Optica. The organizers hope the symposium is the first of an annual tradition connecting the NYC area's research community.