The fields of Metamaterials (engineered materials with properties not found in nature) and Plasmonics & Nanophotonics (optical interactions with nanostructures) unlock new ways to control electromagnetic waves at the sub-wavelength scale.

Applications span a wide range of disciplines, from physics and materials science to biology, medicine, energy, and communications.

META — The International Conference on Metamaterials, Photonic Crystals, and Plasmonics — has been showcasing breakthroughs in nanophotonics and advanced electromagnetic materials since 2002.

It all traces back to Bianisotropics 2002 in Marrakesh, an unforgettable event where the foundations of the metamaterials community were laid.

A highlight of that gathering was the presence of Prof. Victor Veselago, the pioneer of metamaterials, who published the first theoretical analysis of materials with a negative refractive index in 1967. It was a moment of inspiration and recognition for the emerging discipline.

A major outcome of the conference was the publication of the very first book on metamaterials: "Advances in Electromagnetics of Complex Media and Metamaterials", edited by Prof. Saïd Zouhdi and Prof. Ari Sihvola (Springer, 2002). Prof. Veselago himself contributed to this landmark volume, helping to define and legitimize the field at an early stage.

From its origins as a small international workshop, META has grown into a global platform where peers share and discuss research in this rapidly evolving field.