IES25: The Lighting Conference gathered more than 500 attendees at the Anaheim Marriott, a mere mile away from the “Most Magical Place on Earth”—Disneyland. The three-day event kicked off on Thursday, August 21 with Emerging Professionals Day, the Leadership Forum, hands-on workshops, the IES Industry Progress Report, and an exhibits reception. Day two featured the opening keynote “Imagineering Light,” by Walt Disney Imagineers Randy Fox, Lesli Bjork, and Jason Badger, followed by well-attended sessions spanning design and technology, as well as a Research Track, and the IES Illumination Awards ceremony and gala. The conference wrapped up on Saturday with additional sessions and a Lighting is Too Hard roundtable event, which attracted a significant number of attendees who were tasked with addressing some of the industry’s most-pressing challenges.
Next year, the IES is gearing up to reach Rocky Mountain heights as it announced Denver, CO, as the location of IES26: The Lighting Conference. The event will be held August 13–15 at the Grand Hyatt Denver.
Photos: Glen Keune; except bottom right photo: Craig Causer
The IESNYC revealed the recipients of the 2025 IESNYC Thesis Awards. This recognition celebrates outstanding academic work in lighting design and research, highlighting the creativity and dedication that drive innovation in the field. This year, the IESNYC recognized Hyesoo Chun, Veronica Gonzalez, and Kai-Di Peng for their work and creative vision. Each recipient received a $2,500 award as well as recognition from the IESNYC community.
Hyesoo Chun, Master of Fine Arts degree in Lighting Design at Parsons School of Design (The New School), received the award for her work, “More isn’t always enough: challenging the perception of safety on NYC subway platforms.” Her thesis questions the MTA’s assumption that brighter stations automatically feel safer, arguing instead for lighting quality. Through site analysis and perception-based surveys, she explored how balanced distribution, reduced glare, and thoughtful contrast can more effectively improve the perception of safety in public transit spaces, advocating for a qualitative, luminance-informed approach to lighting design.
Veronica Gonzalez, Master’s of Professional Studies degree in Lighting Design at the New York School of Interior Design, was recognized for her work, “Playful Layers: Children’s Home.” Her thesis reimagines a home tailored for children aged 8 to 12, whose average height and perspective call for a fresh approach. By layering light at varying heights and incorporating vibrant colors and luminaires of different scales and finishes, Veronica’s design creates a multi-sensory environment that blends functionality with playful exploration. Her work encourages children to interact with the space, fostering warmth, comfort, and imagination.
Kai-Di Peng, Master of Science degree in Architectural Sciences (Lighting) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, was recognized for her work, “Development of a 3-D-Printed Optic for an LED Accent Light Used in Museum Applications.” Her thesis rethinks the optical design of the traditional framing projector, which typically uses four mechanical “fins” to crop light to the shape of a painting—inevitably wasting any light blocked from exiting the fixture. Instead, she developed a custom optical element that redirects light precisely onto the target area. Using LightTools to raytrace and design a lens tailored to a specific COB LED module, she created and hand-finished a 3-D-printed prototype, along with a printed lens holder to mount it for testing. Through iterative adjustments to the lens geometry and careful measurements of luminous flux transmittance and beam shape, her work demonstrated how additive manufacturing and optical design can reduce waste and optimize museum accent lighting.
Ted Mather, LC, CLD, managing principal of Available Light’s New York Studio, will retire in October following an 18-year run at the company. Mather’s 38-year lighting design career helped transform the architainment industry with notable projects including The International Spy Museum, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, and both the Prow Sculpture and Under The Stars installation at the Time Warner Center in New York City. Among his theatrical projects are working as associate designer on more than 20 Broadway productions including Miss Saigon, Beauty and the Beast, Les Misérables, Oklahoma!, Swan Lake, and Equus.
Mather began his training at the University of Illinois and earned his Master of Fine Arts degree in stage design from New York University. Prior to joining Available Light, he was the principal and president of Ted Mather Lighting Design. He is a professional Member of the IES, IALD, United Scenic Artists, and the Designers Lighting Forum. He has taught and guest lectured at NYU, Drew University, and the Broadway Master Class Series.
