The European Physical Society (EPS) is a nonprofit association created in 1968 to promote the interests of physics and physicists in Europe. Through its individual members and 42 member societies, the EPS represents more than 130,000 physicists in Europe.



The Quantum Electronics and Optics Division (QEOD) of the European Physical Society aims to serve its scientific, industrial and educational communities by helping them obtain the latest information on progress in optics, photonics and related fields, to gain visibility for their research, to help them interact with their peers and to develop professionally. QEOD also aims to promote all branches of photonics to the wider scientific community, to decision makers, the business sector and society at large. A major instrument for achieving its goals is the organization of quality peer-reviewed scientific meetings, including the biennial CLEO/Europe-EQEC conference, which is the largest (about 2000 participants in 2015) and most prestigious in optics, as well as co-sponsorship and administrative aid (through the EPS staff) for smaller topical meetings and workshops.



QEOD also provides short courses for professional development, aimed at industrial colleagues and research students moving to new areas. To further aid student members, QEOD provides financial support for them to attend Summer Schools and the QEOD-sponsored conferences.



To highlight scientific excellence, QEOD also awards internationally recognized prizes to senior and younger scientists, as well as prizes for the best European PhD theses in Quantum Electronics and Optics. See open nominations.