Recently, the 3rd Workshop on Topological Photonics and Beyond (TPB 25) was held in Tianjin. Chen Jun, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Vice President of Nankai University, attended the opening ceremony and delivered the opening speech. Xu Jingjun, Member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Member of the Standing Committee of the CPPCC National Committee, and Professor at the School of Physics, Nankai University, was also present. Faculty and student representatives from the School of Physics and the TEDA Applied Physics Institute attended the ceremony. The ceremony was presided over by Chen Zhigang, Chair Professor at Nankai University and Chair of the Workshop.

Guided by the principle of “Focusing on Frontiers, Interdisciplinary Integration, and Open Collaboration”, this Workshop facilitated in-depth exchanges and discussions on topological photonics, micro/nano photonics, quantum photonics, and other related cutting-edge interdisciplinary fields. More than 200 scientists and young scholars from 15 countries, including the UK, France, Greece, Italy, Canada, and Israel, representing over 50 prestigious universities and institutions both in China and abroad participated. These institutions included Nanyang Technological University, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Peking University, the Institute of Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Nanjing University, Fudan University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Zhejiang University, Sun Yat-sen University, and the University of Hong Kong. Distinguished editors from several top-tier academic journals were also present.

In his speech, Chen Jun highlighted that Nankai University has long been hailed as “one of China’s most prestigious institutions of higher education”. He noted that Chern Shiing-Shen, an eminent alumnus and world-renowned mathematician, was a globally recognized pioneer and foundational figure in topology. The topological invariant named after him, the Chern Number, is closely related to the theme of TPB 25. The Workshop, Chen stated, would establish a high-level academic exchange platform for scientists and engineers in topological photonics and its related fields worldwide, strengthen collaboration between domestic research institutions and international leading-edge research institutions, vigorously promote the translation and application of related research outcomes, and highlight NKU’s contribution to advancing China’s scientific and technological development and fostering global innovation in optoelectronics.

The Workshop featured prestigious keynote presentations by Professor Sir Michael Berry (British Royal Knight and Fellow of the Royal Society), who spoke on “The Singularities of Light: Intensity, Phase, Polarization”; and Professor Mordechai Segev (Member of U.S. National Academy of Sciences and Member of Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities), who presented on “Photonic Time Crystals and Light-Matter Interactions in Them”.

The Workshop also featured a dedicated “Insights from Editors” session. Senior editors from leading international academic journals including Nature Photonics and Light: Science & Applications engaged in deep discussions with experts and scholars on topics such as recent advances in topological photonics, high-impact publishing research, and avenues for academic dissemination. The Workshop catered to young researchers by hosting a poster session, offering them a platform to present their work, broaden their perspectives, and foster collaborations.

（Edited and translated by Nankai News Team.)