Trojan Technologies of London, Ontario, Canada, has won first place in the corporate division of Enabled by Optics, a new contest designed by The Optical Society (OSA) to raise public awareness of the importance of optics and photonic technologies.

The competition highlights how optics-driven technology affects everyday life and often serves the greater public good. Each corporate entity submitted a white paper; entries were judged by a panel of experts, including members of OSA’s corporate associates committee, which includes optics researchers and business leaders.

The winning entry was a water-disinfection solution using environmentally responsible, cost-effective UV light as an alternative to chemicals. The use of UV disinfection by municipalities around the world could prevent the spread of harmful organisms in the water supply and destroy contaminants.

Eyejusters of Oxford, England, earned honorable mention for its SlideLens adjustable-lens technology for producing high-quality, affordable eyeglasses to support vision projects in the developing world.

The contest also has a student division; in this category, each entrant created a video demonstrating how optics is crucial to the functioning of a commonly used product. Sarah Jaye Olivia, a graduate student at the Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines, won first place for her video “Black and White,” which describes a laser bar-code scanner. Olivia will receive a $500 prize.