Over 350 participants, including specifiers, educators, students, researchers, and manufacturers from 18 countries, gathered for an enriching experience focused on advancing the power of light and its impact on the human condition. The conference offered engaging seminars, insightful roundtable discussions, and invaluable networking opportunities.
Attendees enjoyed access to over thirty dynamic sessions covering a wide array of industry topics, encompassing creative, technical, and ethical aspects to elevate their expertise and foster meaningful connections in the field of architectural lighting design.
Light pollution and the 'dark sky movement' were prominent topics in numerous sessions on the agenda, as well as in the ensuing conversations among attendees.
IALD President Andrea Hartranft, FIALD, CLD, was quick to point out the relevance of these subjects for a conference taking place in a region known for observatories and night sky protection.
She said, "From the opening keynote with an incredible light pollution scientist, to the closing session with DarkSky International's top executive voice, our agenda makes clear the importance of the natural world in a profession built upon artificial light. Here in Tucson, the city where the 'dark sky movement' was effectively founded, that's no small statement."
Amy C. Oliver, Public Affairs Officer and Science Center Manager at the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory, science educator and self-titled "nerdy astronomer", was the opening keynote. Her speaking session, entitled "Glow Responsibly: Honoring the Beauty of Human Design and Natural Darkness", emphasized the impact of artificial light on flora and fauna locally and globally, and implored the audience to work ahead of any regulatory policy to set a precedent for responsible lighting design.
Ruskin Hartley, Chief Executive Officer of DarkSky International, bookended the challenging conversation on Saturday by educating the audience on the efficacy of lighting ‘smarter, not brighter’, stressing the dangers of light pollution to the global ecosystem, and closing the conference with the question, "What are you going to do about it?"
A stellar array of five professional members received warm applause as Teal Brodgen, FIALD, CLD, Jill Cody, FIALD, CLD, Ron Kurtz, FIALD, CLD, Aram Ebben, FIALD, CLD, Ron Kurtz, FIALD, CLD, and Mônica Luz Lobo, FIALD, CLD, were inducted into the IALD College of Fellows, recognizing decades of exemplary work and contributions to the lighting design industry and the IALD.
The conference audience stood to cheer the accomplishments of Randy Burkett, FIALD, CLD, who was honored with the IALD Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of a storied career of award-winning architectural lighting design, decades of volunteer roles for the Association and the lighting community, and exemplary dedication to the profession. From small-town roots to illuminating iconic national monuments, Burkett's humility and gratitude for those he has worked with were evident in his acceptance speech.
The IALD Enlighten conference series will resume in 2026, with IALD Enlighten Europe 2026 in Paris, France, from June 17 to 19, and IALD Enlighten Americas 2026 in Austin, Texas, from October 15 to 17.
View the EA25 Photo Gallery More on the IALD Enlighten Conference Series
Information regarding the schedules, sessions, speakers, and venues for these events will be published on the IALD website (iald.org) and on the IALD's social media channels.