Orlando, FL – October 26, 2026 – The Laser Institute (LIA) is pleased to announce its 2027 Board of Trustees officers, elected by LIA members. Bo Gu, Ph.D., of BOS Photonics will serve as President. The officers were announced at the LIA Annual Meeting and Awards Luncheon on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, held as part of ICALEO 2026 at the Hilton Denver City Center in Denver, CO.

Each of the 2027 officers brings a history of service on LIA’s Board of Trustees, which guides LIA’s conferences, education programs, standards development, and membership.

“I am honored to serve as President of the Laser Institute in 2027 and grateful to the LIA members for their trust and support,” said Bo Gu, Ph.D., 2027 President of The Laser Institute. “Lasers continue to transform manufacturing, medicine, communications, and scientific research, creating new opportunities for innovation and growth across industries.

As President, my priorities will be to strengthen LIA’s role as a leading resource for the global laser community. I look forward to advancing technical education and professional development, expanding opportunities for collaboration among industry, academia, and research institutions, and supporting the development of standards that promote laser safety, reliability, and responsible adoption of laser technologies.

I also hope to build on LIA’s strong conference programs, including ICALEO, to encourage the exchange of ideas, showcase emerging technologies, and connect the next generation of laser professionals with experienced leaders in the field. Engaging early-career professionals, supporting our members, and broadening participation across the laser community will be important to ensuring LIA remains relevant and responsive to a rapidly evolving industry.

The progress of LIA depends on the dedication of its members, volunteers, partners, and staff. I look forward to working closely with the Board of Trustees and the broader LIA community to build on the Institute’s legacy, strengthen its impact, and advance laser science and technology for the benefit of industry and society.”

2027 Officers

President	Vice President	Past President	Treasurer	Secretary
Image	Image	Image	Image	Image
Bo Gu, Ph.D. BOS Photonics	Gerarda Evangelista Amplitude Laser Inc	Sam Salama, Ph.D. Hyperion Technologies	Scott Benjamin Dental AIM	Robert Thomas, Ph.D. US Air Force Research Laboratory

LIA members also elected four new trustees to the 2027-2029 class: Simon Lappi, Ph.D., of RTI International; Alexander Olowinsky, Ph.D., of Fraunhofer ILT; Klaus Krastel, Ph.D., of MaxPhotonics; and Jared Speltz of the University of Dayton Research Institute. LIA will introduce the new trustees in an upcoming announcement.

LIA thanks its outgoing trustees, LIA Treasurer Klaus Loeffler, Jamie King, and Koji Sugioka for their dedicated service on the board.

About The Laser Institute

Founded in 1968, The Laser Institute (LIA) is the professional society for laser applications and safety worldwide. As the secretariat and publisher of the ANSI Z136 laser safety standards and the publisher of the Journal of Laser Applications, LIA serves academia, industry, and government through conferences, educational programs, and standards development. LIA is dedicated to fostering innovation, collaboration, and the safe use of lasers.

Contact: The Laser Institute +1 (407) 380-1553, lia@lia.org