Starting from 2003 the European Polymer Federation has organized, each two years, a series of Summer Schools. The topics are always related to the front leading areas of macromolecular science and technology, keeping together a high scientific level as well as the relevance for industrial application.

The interaction between light and matter drives many systems, e.g. light-emitting diodes and solar cells, biological structures, actuators and future quantum devices.

In this context, polymers and their architectures - which are often biologically inspired - are gaining strong interest due to their properties that cannot be achieved by inorganic semiconductors and insulators.

In addition, the search for efficient, lightweight and sustainable systems for the hyper-connected (both locally and globally) society of the future requires the development of new materials and architectures enabling an efficient management of optical signals with a reduced carbon footprint.

Photovoltaic action exploiting macromolecules is an important tool for green energy generation, in particular if recyclable and renewable raw materials can be used.

Light-responsive macromolecular architecture are used as soft robots and actuators have been emerging as advanced functional materials and attracting diverse application fields.

Nature is a great source of inspiration to solve a variety of problems by using different architectures that can be mimicked by macromolecules and sometimes hybridized with inorganic materials.

In this way, the interaction between light and polymers can be engineered to solve a range of problems such as energy production and conservation, environmental monitoring, bio-medical issues, and sustainable agriculture.

List of topics to be addressed:

• Bio-inspired architectures;
• Stimuli-responsive Functional Materials & Liquid Crystals;
• Soft-actuators;
• Engineered optoelectronic polymers;
• Engineered disorder in photonics;
• Organic & hybrid photonic crystals and metamaterials;
• Advanced hybrid photocatalytic systems;
• Artificial photosynthesis;
• Polymer photonic sensors;
• Self-assembled photonic structures;
• Radiative cooling and thermal shielding;
• NLO polymer and organic achitectures;
• Polymers for quantum systems;
• Polymer photovoltaic systems and light emitting devices
• Polymer & Bio-Photonics

The program includes 12 courses by top-level international experts as well as a poster Session.

Students who are willing to present their work in the poster session are strongly invited to submit an Abstract.

English is the official language of the EPF summer schools.

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