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Uncertainty Casts a Shadow over 2025 SPIE Photonics Industry Summit

Photonics.com
Sep 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C., Sept. 23, 2025 — Industry leaders, policymakers, and appointed officials convened last week for the annual SPIE Photonics Industry Summit. Now in its fourth year, the one-day event again offered glimpses into U.S. government priorities and initiatives as they relate to the photonics industry. More present this year was a cloud of uncertainty, as discussions spanned topics in funding, tariffs, and geopolitics.

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Among the day's speakers was Bruce Tromberg, director of the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering. Courtesy of Photonics Media/Joel Williams.

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A battle of ideas

As in previous years, summit presentations focused on creating and promoting opportunities for technology innovation, collaboration, and small businesses. Others offered progress updates from major projects and agencies. Adding to the theme of unease was repeated mention of the “valley of death” — the uncharted territory between technological development and commercialization — which characterized several talks. Break-out discussions evaluated strategies on how to navigate it and secure necessary funding.

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U.S. Rep. Joe Morelle (N.Y.), co-chair of the Congressional Optics and Photonics Caucus. Courtesy of Photonics Media/Joel Williams.

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Several speakers raised the "valley of death" challenge in the context of national security and the need for more governmental funding.

“Today we’re in a contest of ideas, particularly with the People’s Republic of China,” said Rep. Joe Morelle (N.Y.), co-chair of the U.S. Congressional Optics and Photonics Caucus. “And to be victorious in this contest of ideas, The U.S. Government has got to helm a national effort to stay at the leading edge of technological advancement.”

Morelle noted waning public investment and funding cuts, both enacted and proposed, which have influenced the ability to grow technological innovation and education. Simultaneously, China has made significant investments in national universities, labs, and companies.

“If we’re going to win the battle of ideas, we have to meet the moment. We need to reauthorize the National Quantum Initiative, we must return to an era where the government invests in science and technology as a true priority,” Morelle said. “Frankly there’s no other way to do this.”

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Mark Clampin, acting deputy associate administrator of NASA's Science Mission Directorate. Courtesy of Photonics Media/Joel Williams.

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A presentation from Mark Clampin, acting deputy associate administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, led to audience questions about budget cuts proposed by the White House, which would reduce by about 20% NASA's overall budget for FY 2026, and by close to 50% science programs specifically. Clampin said that NASA would for now follow the president’s budget, and that the agency would adapt in the event of changing budgets.

The issue remains unsettled — the upcoming fiscal year commences Oct. 1, and Congress, as of yet, has not passed a budget. However, NASA has been told to use the budget proposed by the House for the time being. Ars Technica reported the news Friday.

Technology takes center stage

A presentation by Emily Kinser, program director for the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) discussed a number of initiatives related to co-packaged optics, PICs, and optical computing, among other technologies. Here again, a race with China provides the backdrop, amid tariffs, export restrictions, and the onshoring of production. Asked whether there are any programs in place to address the need for foundries capable of producing critical semiconductors such as indium phosphide and lithium niobate, Kinser said that she would like there to be. She alluded to ongoing conversations surrounding critical materials.

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Keith Krapels, director of the U.S. Army Space and Missle Defense Command's Technical Center. Courtesy of Photonics Media/Joel Williams.

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Keith Krapels, director of U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command (ASMDC)'s Technical Center, was unable to give an update related to the proposed “Golden Dome” project given budget uncertainty. Discussing Israel’s Iron Dome, Krapels said that the involved systems were effective and highly capable, but the industrial capacity is lacking. As it stands, U.S. interception of missiles and small enemy aircraft is largely performed with kinetic systems, Krapels said. This creates challenges related to costs, since munitions can cost tens of thousands of dollars and even into the six-figure range. According to Krapels, current bottlenecks include a lack of industrial capacity to build directed energy systems, and a lack of engineers. This contributes to production difficulties due to lack of standardization and guidelines to ensure a viable and robust system.

Export control updates

The day closed with a presentation from Matthew Borman, senior counsel at Akin, on U.S. export control law and regulations. The talk provided a window into the complex landscape of politics and bureaucracy. While industry often faces this dynamic in the public eye, research and academia also encounter these challenges when it comes to international collaboration. The need to navigate red tape, Borman said, isn't limited to dealings with foreign adversaries.

“Particularly since 2022, the Biden administration put in a series of, I would say, increasingly restrictive controls that are really designed to keep the U.S., and to a lesser extent, Western allies ahead of China in advanced artificial intelligence capabilities,” Borman said. Now in the Trump administration, appointed export control officials are even more hawkish when it comes to China; controls have greatly limited China’s ability to produce even legacy semiconductor chips.

Borman said that earlier this year, export controls were part of trade negotiations for the first time since Thomas Jefferson held the presidency. Trade talks with China are still ongoing, and the effect of those talks on export controls will emerge in the coming weeks, Borman said. He alluded to a recent flurry of additions of Chinese companies to the entity list, which is a compendium of companies subject to the most stringent export controls.

Though the theme of uncertainty rose to the fore of many of the talks, collaboration and cautious optimism were present, too. Many of the industry's challenges also present opportunity. To meet the moment, the sentiment remains that coordination and purpose must be front of mind for industry, trade organizations, educators, academia, and government constituents. 
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