By Alberto Garcia, mechanical engineering student, University of Colorado Boulder
From June 15 to 18, 2025, a diverse group from around the world got together in Boulder, Colorado, to attend and participate in the third International Congress on Far UV-C Science and Technology (ICFUST). The Congress was held at the University of Colorado Boulder campus, and it was co-hosted by Dr. Shelly Miller and Dr. Karl Linden from the University of Colorado, with support from the International Ultraviolet Association (IUVA). The purpose of the workshop was to advance science, engineering and applications of low-wavelength ultraviolet technologies to enhance the quality of human life and to protect the environment.
Over the three days of the Congress, attendees had the opportunity to hear talks from leading players in the field from academia, health care, philanthropy, government and industry, and to engage in meaningful discussions. Attendees learned about ongoing research across a variety of topics, including efficacy in microbial inactivation, safety studies on skin and eyes, application of Far UV-C in healthcare settings, PFAS degradation with Far UV-C, enhanced wastewater treatment, standardization of test methods, and UV-C measuring and systems testing, among other topics.
The Congress was attended by more than 130 people, including members from industry, academia, government agencies, technology manufacturers, technology vendors and nonprofit agencies. The meeting was an excellent opportunity to learn about the current state of the art for UV technology, learn about tools and methods for proper technology implementation, hear about the latest experiences with and plans for field trials and network extensively with peers sharing an interest of advancing public health by implementing best practices and safe implementation of UV-C devices in the field.
The event organizers planned a full schedule for all attendees, which included social events at a local brewery (Wild Provisions) and a Farm to Table dinner (Ollin Farms). The Congress was supported by many sponsors, which included USHIO, Lit Thinking, Blueprint Biosecurity, Lumenlabs, Gigahertz-Optik, Silanna UV, Eden Park and Far-UV Technologies.
ICFUST 2025 highlighted advancements and research in Far UV-C technology, focusing on its safety, efficacy and practical public health applications in air, surface and water. The continuing success of this event and its high level of knowledge transfer are an indication of the future of Far UV-C and will help pave the way for widespread adoption of UV technology for public health protection.
Conference organizers are finalizing the release of recorded talks from over 45 presentations and organizing the feedback from Congress attendees to help in planning future events. Planning for ICFUST 2026 currently is underway, and event organizers hope to see you there next year!