The purpose of the School is provide PhD students and young research scientists working in the field of laser-materials interactions with robust fundamental roots that often are lacking in their training, so that they could profitably interact with colleagues working in areas neighboring, but not coincident with their own research field. Although the School is geared towards the level of a PhD student, advanced undergraduate and Master students, as well as postdoctoral researchers are welcome to join.

While a number of well established international conferences regularly bring together researchers working in the field of laser-materials interactions, the School is unique in that it aims at educating doctorate students in the principles of laser-surface interactions, along with bringing students up to date with current state-of-the art in laser materials processing. The lectures are given by a selected number (around 15) of experts from academia and research centers worldwide. The lectures have didactic character and are connected with each other into a coherent syllabus covering the mechanisms of laser-materials interactions, relevant experimental and computational techniques, as well as current and emerging applications.

The students are asked to bring posters presenting the results of their research projects or research plans for new projects. All posters will be presented for the whole duration of the School and will be discussed by the participants during the daily poster sessions. The students will give brief oral presentations of their posters and will participate in the Best Poster Award competition (dedicated to the memory of Roger Kelly).