Troy, NY – The Smart Lighting Engineering Research Center (ERC) announces that registration is open for its upcoming conference, Smart Spaces: 5th Annual Industry-Academia Days to be held on February 12 -13, 2014 in Troy, NY. The ERC, funded primarily by the National Science Foundation and NYSTAR, is a multi-institutional research center headquartered at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, with Boston University and The University of New Mexico as partners.

Most of us give little thought to the lighting in our spaces, whether in our offices, a retail environment or our homes. But lighting plays a significant role in our lives and can impact how we feel, work and sleep. Lighting of the future will consist of Smart Lighting Systems that See and ThinkTM, and will improve our health, safety, productivity, and energy efficiency.

At this annual conference, the ERC will bring together leading researchers, students and industrial representatives, to showcase its research, innovation and educational activities. Topics include advanced light sources, sensors, adaptive controls, as well as human factors and visible light communications.

The ERC Director, Dr. Robert Karlicek will kick off the meeting with an overview of the Center’s vision and strategic plan followed by faculty presentations and a synopsis of educational programs. Dr. Lee Brown, Professor of Medicine and Director of the Center for Sleep Medicine at The University of New Mexico, and Dr. George C. Brainard, Professor in the Department of Neurology from Thomas Jefferson University, new ERC faculty members, will participate in a panel discussion on Lighting and Health.

Other highlights will include the role of industry in the ERC’s innovation ecosystem and the “Perfect Pitch” competition, where graduate students present their research in ninety seconds and are judged by industrial representatives. Attendees will have plenty of time to interact with ERC students, faculty and leadership at a poster session and laboratory tours.

Keynote speakers will bring smart lighting perspectives from outside of the ERC. Dr. Steven Paolini, CEO of Telelumen, will present his insight on emerging technology trends in solid-state lighting, and Dr. Robert G. Davis, Senior Staff Lighting Engineer in the Advanced Lighting Team at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory will discuss how new lighting solutions are needed to meet the needs of future classrooms.

The event is open to the public on February 12, 2014, at the Hilton Garden Inn in Troy, NY, and on the morning of February 13, 2013 for laboratory tours at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. The conference continues with in-depth discussions about the research, open only to Industrial members of the ERC.