IES Light For Life® Virtual Symposium 2026: Exploring the Lighting Spectrum

Symposium Description: This two-day, eight-hour virtual symposium examined the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that defines the practice of lighting. From ultraviolet to infrared, sessions explore specific nanometer ranges and their distinct properties, design implications, and biological or environmental effects. Other sessions step back to consider the spectrum more broadly—how it is measured, described, and interpreted in lighting practice, and how IES standards and methods help bring structure to that understanding. Together, these perspectives reveal the spectral complexity underlying what we commonly refer to as white light.

Contributing Sponsor:

Revisiting Daylight: Spectral Gaps and Limitations in Electric Lighting (Steve Paolini)

Daylight spans the full visible spectrum and extends beyond it into ultraviolet (UVB) and near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths. In contrast, most electric light sources emit a comparatively narrow spectral range, often utilizing only a portion of the visible spectrum in order to optimize luminous efficacy.
Conventional lighting design frequently relies on correlated color temperature (CCT) as a proxy for spectral content and, in circadian applications, follows a simplified “warm–cool–warm–dark” diurnal paradigm. However, CCT is an incomplete descriptor and often fails to represent the complexity and variability of natural daylight spectra.
This work compares the spectral power distributions (SPDs) of common electric light sources with measured daylight spectra from diverse geographic and atmospheric conditions. The analysis highlights fundamental spectral differences, including the limited long-wavelength (deep red) content in many electric sources.
Importantly, daylight itself is neither fixed nor uniform; it exhibits significant temporal and environmental variability and frequently trends toward higher CCT values—often exceeding 5000 K—even during sunrise and sunset. These findings challenge common assumptions in lighting design and underscore the need for more spectrally complete approaches when attempting to emulate natural light.

Light at Night and the Domino Effect: Why Spectrum Matters (Ron Gibbons)

The application of light at night must be judiciously manage. The positive aspect of lighting such as detection and visibility must be balanced with the potential negative impact on humans and the environment. Measuring and managing these impacts are critical considerations in lighting design. This discussion considers each of the metrics for lighting and how they fit together to form a comprehesive approach to lighting.

The Narrow Band That Broadens Everything: 380-440 nm Across the Visible Spectrum (Katherine A. Gruner)

The 380- 440 nm range, the violet and near-violet edge of visible light, is routinely absent from standard electric lighting, unconsidered in conventional metrics like lux, and overlooked in most lighting conversations. Research from the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center Science of Light Center shows that this narrow band plays an important role in the activation of opsins, a family of light-sensing molecules governing circadian timing, metabolic regulation, and development.
This session explores how 380-440 nm fits within and reshapes our understanding of the biologically active light spectrum. Attendees will leave with a clearer picture of what has been omitted from standard light sources, and why it changes how we think about, measure, and appreciate light.

Sports and the Spectrum (Jim Sanfilippo)

This presentation will explore the influence of light on athletic performance, spectator experience, and television production. We will examine the relationship between different wavelengths, color rendering quality, and correlated color temperature. These factors affect an athlete’s ability to track swiftly moving objects, discern depth and contrast, and execute precise reactions in diverse sports, including baseball, football, hockey, and tennis. Additionally, we will discuss the significance of lighting choices in shaping camera sensor performance, enhancing the clarity of slow-motion replays, ensuring uniform and field color separation, and ultimately contributing to the overall visual quality of live broadcasts.

Understanding spectra-driven variability in spatial brightness (Alp Durmus)

Spatial brightness is influenced not only by illuminance but also by the spectral power distribution (SPD) of a light source, a factor that challenges the continued reliance on V(λ)-based photometry. Although the CIE has introduced multiple physiological axes, including the 2° and 10° standard observers and more recent functions reflecting broader retinal physiology, traditional photometric system still struggles to predict perceived scene brightness. Spatial brightness judgments rely on a larger field of view (FOV) than the classical 2° observer, which is influenced by short wavelength light. Recent studies comparing standard and alternative models—including melanopsin-sensitive pathways—demonstrate inconsistent performance across different spectra. This talk will review these foundational issues and summarize emerging evidence indicating the importance of the spectra for spatial brightness.

Spectral Accuracy of Wearable Light Dosimeters (Alp Durmus)

Accurate spectral measurements are essential for wearable light dosimeters used in circadian, sleep, and field‑based lighting research, yet substantial variability exists across commercial devices. Studies comparing multiple dosimeter models have revealed large differences in spectral sensitivity, wavelength-dependent errors, and non‑linear responses when exposed to narrowband and broadband light sources. Recent work has emphasized the importance of evaluating dosimeters using standardized spectral mismatch metrics—such as the CIE’s f₁′ index –as well as spectral mismatch correction factors that quantify errors under real polychromatic conditions. This talk will synthesize these findings and outline the implications for selecting and validating wearable dosimeters, especially as circadian and non‑visual lighting metrics become more widely adopted.

Selecting a Spectrum for Museum Applications… and What Matters More (Scott Rosenfeld)

LEDs have ushered in an era where precise spectral control of light creates opportunities we never thought possible. As with any craft, the challenge is knowing how to use that control effectively and how to weigh the effectiveness of spectral choices against other controllable properties of light. With a focus on the choices confronting manufactures, designers and their clients, this presentation will cover wavelength-dependent damage to light-sensitive materials, appearance and color-matching applications in museums, and new frameworks for preserving light-sensitive collections.

Will Roses Be Red? Spectral Considerations for the Look You Want (Wendy Luedtke)

Watch any or all of the videos from the symposium. You must watch each video in its entirety to unlock the CEU certificate. Watch all videos to receive a total of 8 CEUs.