UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Each month, the Penn State Alumni Association hosts a Virtual Speaker Session, which highlights world-class research that Penn State professors and academic leaders are conducting at the University. The August 2025 guest is no exception.
On Aug. 26, Mikael C. Rechtsman, professor of physics and recipient of the 2024 Faculty Scholar Medal for Outstanding Achievement, will explain how nanofabricated photonic crystals make light “feel" the effects of artificial magnetic fields. Based on this research, increasing the interaction between light and matter eventually could lead to smaller lasers and other advances.
RSVP now for the event, set for noon on Tuesday, Aug. 26. The discussion will be recorded and shared on the Alumni Association's website, where past presentations also are available for viewing. Recent events in this series have focused on selecting a signature wine for Pennsylvania, improving school safety, and addressing substance use disorder stigma.
For more than 150 years, the Penn State Alumni Association has provided alumni with a strong and welcoming community representative of the Penn Staters it proudly serves. The association keeps alumni connected to the University and to each other, while upholding Penn State traditions and supporting the University’s mission of teaching, research and service. The association also produces the award-winning Penn Stater magazine and other publications, and offers alumni and friends volunteer opportunities, educational programming, and many other services. For more information about membership in the Alumni Association, visit alumni.psu.edu/youbelong.