The Optical Research Center(CIOp) was created on September 12, 1977 by an agreement among the National Council of Scientific and Technological Research (CONICET), the National University of La Plata (UNLP) and the Laboratory for Material Testing and Technological Research (LEMIT) The headquarters of CIOp were located in the Laboratory of Spectroscopy, Optics and Laser (LEOL) at the Physics Department of the Exact Science Faculty of the UNLP, which had been operating since 1965. In 1979, LEMIT was transferred to the Commission of Scientific Research (CIC) by decree law No. 1476/79 of the Executive Power of the Province of Buenos Aires. As a result, CIC took the place of LEMIT and became one of the sponsors of CIOp.
On November 18, 1985, CONICET, UNLP and CIC signed a document of rescission of the Agreement for the Establishment of Centers and Institutes, by which CIOp became a member of CIC.
On May 2, 1991, CONICET and CIC signed a new Agreement of Collaboration for the operation and development of the institute. As a result of this agreement CIOp became a member of both institutions, being this its present condition.
During the past 30 years has developed a sustained CIOP academic activity and resources training humanos.Esta activity can be summarized as:
- Published over 750 papers in scientific journals and 450 papers in conference proceedings, national and international.
- Training of more than 40 doctors in Physics and Engineering and care for more than 80 scholars from national and foreign universities.
- Organization and delivery of over 40 postgraduate courses CIOP.
- Taught over 70 courses and seminars at national and foreign universities.
- Receiving more than 170 foreign researchers , keeping more than 30 agreements on cooperation in science and technology with universities and research institutions and development of the country and abroad.