The Optical Society

The Optical Society
Founded 1916
Type Professional association
Focus Optics and photonics
Location
  • Washington, DC, United States
Origins Founded by optical scientists in 1916 under the leadership of Perley G. Nutting
Area served
Worldwide
Method Professional journals and conferences
Members
19,000
Key people

Alan E. Willner (President)

Elizabeth A. Rogan (CEO)
Employees
150
Slogan Light in Focus
Website www.osa.org

The Optical Society (originally established as the Optical Society of America, OSA) is a scientific society dedicated to advancing the study of light—optics and photonics—in theory and application, by means of publishing, organizing conferences and exhibitions, partnership with industry, and education. The organization has members in more than 100 countries.[1] As of 2015, OSA had 19,000 individual members and more than 250 corporate member companies.[2]

History

OSA was founded in 1916, under the leadership of Perley G. Nutting,[3] with 30 optical scientists and instrument makers based in Rochester, New York. OSA soon began publication of its first journal of research results and established an annual meeting.[4] It was founded as the "Optical Society of America" and has evolved into a global enterprise with a worldwide constituency. In recognition of this, the society was renamed in 2008 as The Optical Society (OSA).[5]

Mission

The mission of the Optical Society is to promote the generation, dissemination, application, and archiving of knowledge in optics and photonics. The purposes of the Society are scientific, technical, and educational.

Scientific publishing

Scientific publishing is a core activity of the society, consisting of 17 flagship, partnered and co-published peer-reviewed journals and 1 magazine. With more than 280,000 articles,[6] including papers from over 470 conferences, the OSA Publishing platform is the largest collection of peer-reviewed optics and photonics content.[7]

Primary journals

Partnered journals

Magazine

Optics and Photonics News, 1975–present. Distributed to all members.

Recognitions

The Optical Society presents awards and honors, including OSA Fellow, Honorary Membership, and Awards/Medals. OSA’s awards and medals program is endowed through the OSA Foundation (OSAF), and includes more than 20 named awards; among them are the following:

Conferences and exhibitions

OSA sponsors small and large meetings consisting of a technical program and an industrial exhibition appropriate to the subject matter and number of attendees. Large conferences often include professional education courses and workshops addressing the state of emerging technology and industry. The OSA Executive Speaker Series presents luminaries from industry in an informal studio setting to discuss their career paths. Past executives include Coherent CEO John Ambroso and American Elements CEO Michael Silver.[11]

Local sections and student chapters

OSA local sections and student chapters are encouraged and supported by the umbrella organization but operate independently. Their activities may include guest speakers, educational outreach, and content from other scientific societies. In 2015, 22 local sections (13 in the U.S. and 9 non-U.S.[12])and more than 360 student chapters (88 in the U.S. and 272 non-U.S.) that were affiliated with OSA.[13]

OSA Foundation

The OSA Foundation is a charitable organization dedicated to supporting programs that:

Since its establishment in 2002, the Foundation has provided funding for over 350 programs and awarded 825+ grants and prizes in more than 55 countries. Funded activities include: student travel grants, special resources for university students studying optics, scholarships and classroom and extracurricular youth science education programs.[14]

OSA presidents

See also

References

  1. ↑ Colleen Morrison, "Societies: the Optical Society of America," The Industrial Physicist, Dec. 2003/Jan. 2004, pp. 29-30.
  2. ↑ "About OSA". Retrieved 3 April 2015.
  3. ↑ Observers, Illuminants, Light Sources for Color Difference Calculations, William Reginald Dawes
  4. ↑ "Why 1916? A Look Back at OSA's Roots.", files of W. Lewis Hyde, Optics & Photonics News, Vol. 17, No. 1, Jan. 2006, pp. 18-19.
  5. ↑ "Mission of OSA". Retrieved 21 June 2011.
  6. ↑ "The Optical Society Launches New Publishing Platform to Enhance Ease of Use, Search and Discoverability of Content". Retrieved 28 April 2015.
  7. ↑ "About OSA Publishing".
  8. ↑ "JOSA". Optics InfoBase. Retrieved 2011-06-09.
  9. ↑ "The Optical Society Launches Optica, New Open-Access Journal for Highest-Impact Research in the Science of Light". The Optical Society. 2014-07-22.
  10. ↑ "Awards & Grants". The Optical Society. Retrieved 20 August 2016.
  11. ↑ OSA Executive Speaker Series, The Optical Society
  12. ↑ "OSA Local Sections". Retrieved 3 April 2015.
  13. ↑ "OSA Student Services". Retrieved 3 April 2015.
  14. ↑ The OSA Foundation, OSA Foundation. Washington, DC, 2010.
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