The following policies and conditions apply to all SPIE events, both online and in person. As a condition of registration, you will be required to acknowledge and accept the SPIE policies and conditions contained herein.
SPIE has established a confidential reporting system for all SPIE event participants to raise concerns about possible unethical or inappropriate behavior within our community. When at an SPIE event, you may contact any SPIE staff with concerns. If you feel that you are in immediate danger, please dial the local emergency number for police intervention.
Confidential complaints may be filed by phoning toll-free to +1-888-818-6898 from within the United States and Canada, or by using the form at spie.ethicspoint.com.
Agreement to hold harmless
Attendee agrees to release and hold harmless SPIE from any and all claims, demands, and causes of action arising out of or relating to your participation in the event you are registering to participate in and use of any associated facilities or hotels.
Be well agreement
You acknowledge that attending an event involves some risk of exposure to COVID-19 or other communicable diseases. You voluntarily assume this risk and agree not to hold SPIE or any of its affiliates liable for any illness you may contract. You also agree not to attend the event if you feel ill or have had recent exposure to a COVID-19 case.
SPIE will provide hand sanitizer locations and disposable face masks upon request.
Anti-harassment policy
It is SPIE policy that all employees, volunteers, and participants are entitled to respectful treatment. Any form of bullying, discrimination, harassment, sexual or otherwise, is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. This policy applies to all locations and situations where SPIE business is conducted and to all SPIE-sponsored activities and events.
App messaging policy
The SPIE conference app supports attendee-to-attendee messaging to facilitate professional networking among meeting participants. This feature should not be used to push high-volume solicitations, and messaging will be disabled for attendees who exceed reasonable use or are in violation of other SPIE event policies. Attendees should report inappropriate use via the app reporting feature. SPIE will also monitor for high-volume patterns suggesting improper use.
Attendee registration and admission policies
SPIE, or their officially designated event management, in their sole discretion, reserves the right to accept or decline an individual's registration for an event. Further, SPIE, or event management, reserves the right to prohibit entry of or to remove any individual whether registered or not, be they attendees, exhibitors, representatives, or vendors, whose conduct is not in keeping with the character and purpose of the event. Without limiting the foregoing, SPIE and event management reserve the right to remove or refuse entry to anyone who has registered or gained access under false pretenses, provided false information, or for any other reason whatsoever that they deem is cause under the circumstances.
Capture and use of a person's image
By registering for an SPIE event, you grant full permission to SPIE to capture, store, use, and/or reproduce your image or likeness, including incidental capture of any individuals in your household or workplace, by any audio and/or visual recording technique and create derivative works of these images and recordings in any SPIE media now known or later developed, for any legitimate SPIE purpose. By registering for an SPIE event, you waive any right to inspect or approve the use of the images or recordings or of any written copy. You also waive any right to royalties or other compensation arising from or related to the use of the images, recordings, or materials. By registering, you release, defend, indemnify, and hold harmless SPIE from and against any claims, damages, or liability arising from or related to the use of the images, recordings or materials, including but not limited to claims of defamation, invasion of privacy, or rights of publicity or copyright infringement, or any misuse, distortion, blurring, alteration, optical illusion, or use in composite form that may occur or be produced in taking, processing, reduction, or production of the finished product, its publication or distribution.
Code of conduct
SPIE is committed to providing a harassment- and discrimination-free experience for everyone at our events, an experience that embraces the richness of diversity where participants may exchange ideas, learn, network, and socialize in the company of colleagues in an environment of mutual respect.
Event and course cancellation policy
If for some unforeseen reason SPIE should have to cancel an event or course, processed registration fees will be refunded to registrants. Registrants will be responsible for cancellation of travel arrangements or housing reservations and the applicable fees.
Identification requirement
To verify registered participants and provide a measure of security, SPIE will ask attendees to present a government-issued photo identification at registration to collect registration materials. Individuals are not allowed to pick up badges for other attendees. Further, attendees may not have some other person participate in their place at any conference-related activity. Such other individuals will be required to register on their own behalf to participate.
For online events, SPIE requires individuals to register with their legal identity.
Laser-pointer safety policy
SPIE events are subject to the applicable laser safety rules and regulations of the host location. SPIE supplies industry standard Class 2 presentation laser pointers for all conference and other meeting rooms. For safety reasons, SPIE requests that presenters use provided laser pointers. Use of a personal laser pointer represents the user’s acceptance of liability for any damage or injuries to presenter or others.
No smoking policy
Attendees will observe all non-smoking regulations that are publicly posted by the facilities used by the event.
Online commenting policy
SPIE moderates all comments posted in an online event. We encourage robust discussion, the exchange of scientific ideas, and the sharing of multiple, diverse perspectives. We expect the discussion to be consistent with the norms of scholarly research community interactions at events. Online event participants should report any comments or content that falls short of those community norms. We will remove comments, content, or people that are considered inappropriate by SPIE standards or that:
Payment policy
Registrations must be fully paid before access to the conference is allowed. SPIE accepts VISA, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, Diner's Club, checks, and wire transfers. Onsite registrations can also be paid with cash.
Recording policy
Conferences, courses, and poster sessions: For copyright reasons, recordings of any kind are prohibited without prior written consent of the presenter or instructor. Attendees may not capture or use materials presented in any meeting/course room or in course notes on display without written permission. Consent forms are available at speaker check-in, SPIE registration, or from SPIE online event hosts. Individuals not complying with this policy will be asked to leave a given session and/or asked to surrender their recording media. Refusal to comply with such requests is grounds for expulsion from the event.
Exhibition hall: Recordings of any kind are prohibited without explicit permission from on-site company representatives. Individuals not complying with this policy will be asked to surrender their recording media and to leave the exhibition hall. Refusal to comply with such requests is grounds for expulsion from the event.
Unauthorized solicitation
Unauthorized solicitation in the exhibition hall is prohibited. Any non-exhibiting organization observed to be distributing information or soliciting business in the aisles, or in another company's booth, will be asked to leave immediately.
Unsecured items
Personal belongings should not be left unattended in meeting rooms or public areas. Unattended items are subject to removal by security. SPIE is not responsible for items left unattended.
Wireless internet service
At most events, SPIE provides wireless access for attendees. Properly secure your computer before accessing the public wireless network. SPIE is not responsible for computer viruses or other kinds of computer damage.