European terahertz researchers gather for first THz NetworkPlus Showcase
Researchers from across the UK and Europe gathered in Leeds this spring to help shape the future of terahertz science and technology.
The inaugural THz NetworkPlus Showcase marked the first in-person meeting of the EPSRC-funded network, which launched in June 2025 to strengthen collaboration across the terahertz (THz) research community.
Led by the University of Leeds alongside partners at Oxford, Cambridge, Warwick, and Glasgow, the three-year initiative aims to connect academia, industry, and funders working across high-frequency electronics, healthcare, quantum technologies, security, and Earth observation.
The Showcase was held over two days in April and brought together 110 delegates, including representatives from industry and researchers from Germany, Italy, and Switzerland. While the Network’s six Special Interest Groups (SIGs) had already met online earlier this year, the event provided the first opportunity for members to meet face-to-face and identify shared priorities for future research and innovation.
The programme combined plenary talks, roundtable discussions, and networking sessions. Speakers included Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Heinz-Wilhelm Hübers of the German Aerospace Center and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, alongside leading figures from European research organisations, Innovate UK, and industry. Discussions focused on emerging applications for THz technologies, future funding priorities, and opportunities for collaboration across the UK and Europe.
Roundtable sessions also helped shape the Network’s next phase, including plans for industry-focused workshops, autumn SIG meetings, and a new training programme for postgraduate, early-career, and mid-career researchers. The Network has also launched its second Flexible Fund call, and will be open to submissions until Friday 10 July.
Annual Showcase meetings will continue through to 2028, alongside regular SIG events designed to build a connected and internationally engaged THz community.
Further information
- Photos taken by Mark Bickerdike Photography.
- For media enquiries, please contact Faculty Communications Manager Matt Gardner at M.D.Gardner@leeds.ac.uk.
