Recent advances in photon avalanche materials are opening a new regime of optical sensing, where small perturbations—including minute mechanical forces—can trigger highly amplified optical responses. In this talk, Dr. Natalie Fardian-Melamed will show how these nonlinear light–matter interactions can be harnessed for remote force detection with exceptional sensitivity and dynamic range. She’ll discuss the physical mechanisms underlying avalanche behavior in lanthanide nanomaterials, and how they enable sensing capabilities that extend beyond conventional linear optics. She’ll also highlight emerging opportunities for translating these effects into next-generation sensing platforms.