The photonics market is booming. Companies are seeking to fill positions needed to keep pace with growth. Landing these jobs, however, is competitive with hiring managers seeking candidates who are not only highly-skilled technically, but who also have a keen understanding of the culture, language and methodology of business. The OSA Foundation launched a new training program called Career Accelerators, designed to equip OSA students and early-career members with fundamental business skills including leadership, team building, business strategy, finance, marketing communication and negotiation. The first Career Accelerator in January 2020, focused on careers in optical communications, with 70 attendees from 19 countries. The OSA Foundation plans to host 15 of these programs by 2024.

ABOVE: OSA Fellow Claudio Mazzali, Corning Optical Communications and Gloria Höfler, Infinera were among the 15 business leaders sharing their expertise at the Career Accelerator. They specifically focused on innovation and product development.

Every two years, The Optical Society sponsors an international conference to promote Latin American excellence in optics and photonics research and to recognize and support the regional research communities that continue to be the source of innovative science. In 2020, the OSA Latin America Optics and Photonics Conference (LAOP) will be presented in Recife, Brazil, from
16-19 November. Paper submissions will be accepted across a diverse set of topic categories, from biophotonics and imaging processing to laser science and quantum optics.

Affiliation: University of Glasgow
Location: UK

Visiting the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) OSA Student Chapter was a fantastic opportunity to connect with a thriving research group in Brazil, exchanging ideas about scientific progress, technical skills and general research culture. The students of the UFRGS Chapter organized an exciting two day meeting for local students as well as those from a nearby Chapter including talks, a small poster session and extensive lab visits, and even a Master viva. I had the opportunity to present two 60 min talks, followed by lively discussions.

In addition to the scientific contact, the Chapter had organized a fantastic cultural program, giving me the opportunity to experience the beautiful settings of Porto Allegre, but also offering the chance to talk more informally with several students and occasionally academics - a connection which cannot be overestimated in generating potential future collaborative links. I would recommend engaging with the Traveling Lecturer Program to Chapters and Academics alike, for its scientific as well as personal experience.

OFC is the largest global conference and exhibition for optical communications and networking professionals. The program is comprehensive -- from research to marketplace, from components to systems and networks and from technical sessions to the exhibition. For over 40 years, OFC has drawn attendees from all corners of the globe to meet and greet, teach and learn, make connections and move the industry forward.

Join us 8 - 12 March 2020 in San Diego, CA, USA.  View the full program here and check out some special programs below.

In 1970, two significant technical achievements led to the development of practical fiber optical communications: the demonstration of low-loss fibers (16dB/km) and the first room-temperature semiconductor lasers. Since then, numerous other breakthroughs have resulted in increasing the bandwidth and reach of fiber links, enabling the World Wide Web, video streaming, trans-oceanic high capacity links, high-capacity wireless communications and many other data services. 

Come celebrate the successes of the OFC community that have facilitated light-speed connections between individuals and businesses across geographic and oceanic boundaries. 

Highlights include:

Special Keynote Tuesday, 10 March 2020, 18:15 - 19:00, Ballroom 208CD

Conference Reception Tuesday, 10 March 2020, 19:00 - 20:30, Sails Pavilion

Join us 10-12 March in the OSA Member Lounge for presentations and conversations with some OFC's top speakers. Tech Talks provide a small venue format for participants to get overview of some trending topics in optics.

The OFC Career Zone is a perfect opportunity to interview qualified candidates from across the country and fill your open positions. Reach job seekers in the exhibit hall and online.

View the Career Zone on the Exhibit Hall Floor Plan

OFC exhibitors receive a 15% discount, email careerzone@ofcconference.org to request the discount code.

OIDA will be presenting two special all-day events-co-located with the OFC conference. Learn more about OIDA and the benefits of membership.

This is the premier annual event for leaders in optical networking and communications. Meet executives from Facebook, Telia Carrier, MobiledgeX, Verizon, Broadcom, EdgeMicro, Lumentum , Blue Planet/Ciena and more. OIDA Executive Forum is your exclusive opportunity to hear insider perspectives in an uncensored environment, while participating in high-level networking. Get valuable insights and information that will give you and your company a strategic advantage.  Meet our keynote speaker, Elizabeth Rivera Hartling, Subsea Optical Network Architect, Facebook. View the program.

Attend this 1-day workshop and get a deep look at the key challenges and opportunities associated with manufacturing embedded photonic devices for data centers. Data centers are the new growth engine for the photonics industry. Will you and your company be ready to capitalize on this business and overcome the significant technical, manufacturing and cost barriers? This workshop will be critical to helping you understand the disruptions under way in the technology and the current vendor landscape.  View the program.

OSA is currently seeking volunteers to lead select OSA Technical Groups. Our technical group leaders help shape the OSA community by organizing events, like webinars, workshops, panel discussions and poster sessions, on the topics that most interest them and their colleagues. If you are interested in serving as a technical group chair and building a strong community for your fellow members, you can apply for the position by 18 February.

16-22 February

Join us as we highlight our innovative engineering members. Sign up for one of the many webinars that are happening this week!

Save the date! The International OSA Network of Students (IONS) locations for 2020 have been announced. Established in 2006, IONS are three to five day student-managed conferences that occur around the globe, annually.

2020 locations (hyperlinked locations indicate open registration):

• 29 February - 2 March (New Delhi, India)
• 25 May - 28 May (Tyndall, Ireland)
• 8 June - 12 June (Queretaro, Mexico)
• 17 June - 19 June (Aveiro, Portugal)
• 10 July - 12 July (Xi'an, China)
• 20 October - 24 October (Santiago, Chile)
• 2 December - 6 December (Australia/New Zealand TBD)       

To learn more check out OSA.ORG/IONS.  

The University of Warsaw is hosting the 2020 Siegman International School on Lasers 18-25 July. Deadline to apply:
1 March 2020.

Network with 100 graduate students from around the world and a list of renowned physicists during this week-long experience while enjoying the area of Warsaw, Poland.

The Bernard J. Couillaud Prize application is now open through 14 February 2020. One early-career professional demonstrating a meaningful and positive impact on the science and applications of ultra-fast lasers will receive a merit-based award which includes a $20,500 USD stipend and $5,000 USD in travel expenses.

The USA Science and Engineering Festival is returning to Washington, DC in 2020. The biannual event is held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center and is focused on encouraging the next generation of engineers, scientists, and technologists the importance of science and math education. OSA participates with a booth on the show floor with interactive optics and photonics demonstrations and giveaways. For more information about the booth, please contact Curtis Burrill. 

ABOVE: University of Virginia OSA student chapter member Jacob Higgins connects with students at the 2018 UVA USASEF booth. (Photo by Mike Duncan)

2 - 6 August 2020, International Convention Centre, Sydney, Australia
Abstract and Summary Submission Deadline: 6 March 2020

Submissions for the 2020 conference are now being accepted. CLEO Pacific Rim is the preeminent conference in the region, covering all major areas in lasers and optoelectronics along with tutorial sessions, invited sessions and workshops in areas of current interest. OSA 2020 President-Elect Connie Chang-Hasnain and OSA 2013 Past-President Donna Strickland are among the Plenary speakers.

WORKinOPTICS.com is the top destination for job seekers in optics and photonics. Check out some of these recent postings and set up a search agent to be alerted to new jobs that match your skills. Upload your resume to let employers find you!

• Manufacturing & Quality Engineer, Supply Chain Optics
• Division Chief, Quantum Physics Division, NIST
• Assistant Professor, Biomedical Optics, The University of Arizona-James C. Wyant College of Optical Sciences
• Application Specialist/Sales Engineer, Boston Electronics
• Senior Sales Engineer / Key Account Manager, Hubner Photonics Inc.
• And More!

The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) funds several programmes that provide grants to researchers in some developing countries for specialized equipment, consumable supplies and Master of Science students. Grants are awarded to individual scientists and research groups. Deadline: 31 March.

Now offering an enhanced, more flexible membership program for your company!

As an organization engaged in the competitive business of optics and photonics your employees have unique needs, and our new corporate membership program offers you affordable pricing and a benefit structure that will deliver the specific resources, connections and opportunities your company needs to stay competitive and innovative.

Our new membership model lets you choose what you want to use. Design your own membership from expanded business categories.

• Market Intelligence & Advocacy
• Networking & Events
• Business Development
• Marketing & PR
• Human Resources

OIDA membership offers the highest-quality resources to help you make smarter business decisions, improve product performance and boost success. Get ready to customize your plan and join OIDA today! 

Last month in the January OIDA Newsletter we wrote that a key finding of the upcoming OIDA quantum photonics roadmap is that investment is needed in the supply chain to improve performance and enable scaling to volume. Small companies especially need the investment, as they are too small to take on the risk alone. A likely investor is the U.S. government, both for its role to encourage commerce as well as its own national security interests.

Learn more in this month's update.

Applied Optics and Journal of the Optical
Society of America A
Digital Holography and 3D Imaging 2019

Optical Materials Express
Novel Optical and Photonic Devices based on 2D Materials

Journal of the Optical Society of America A
Feature Issue: Advances in Optical Metrology & Instrumentation
Submission Deadline: 1 April 2020
Editors: Jonathan D. Ellis (Lead), Han Haitje, Xiangqian (Jane) Jiang, Ki-Nam Joo, and Richard Leach 

Journal of the Optical Society of America A and Journal of the Optical Society of America B
Feature Issue: Optics in Africa
Submission Opens: 15 March 2020; Submission Deadline: 1 May 2020
Editors: Andrew Forbes (Lead), Rim Cherif, Alain Dikande, Angela Dudley, and Ahmadou Wague

Optical Materials Express
Feature Issue: Photonic Topological Materials
Submission Opens: 15 March 2020; Submission Deadline: 1 May 2020
Editors: Alberto Amo (Lead), Tomoki Ozawa, and Ramy El-Ganainy

Optics Express
Feature Issue: Advances in Thermophotovoltaics
Submission Deadline: 15 June 2020
Editors: Rodolphe Vaillon (Lead), Alejandro Datas, Mathieu Francoeur, and Makoto Shimizu

Applied Optics
Yes indeed, that's cement setting - Cosmos Magazine
Nondestructive Optical Method Can Lead to More Eco-Friendly Cement - AZoOptics.com
Source Article: Optical method to characterize and assess setting evolution of cement pastes

Optica
The AI that allows self-driving cars to 'see' around corners - The Telegraph
'Around the corner' imaging system for cars now real-time and high-resolution - Professional Engineering
Source Article: Deep-inverse correlography: towards real-time high-resolution non-line-of-sight imaging