Through a series of engagement activities led by 2018 OSA President Ian Walmsley, members, volunteer leaders, and staff collaborated to develop a vision of how OSA will frame the future of optics and photonics research, collaboration, education, and advocacy into 2030 and beyond.  The OSA 2030 Green Paper outlines the vision for the Society, however, it is only a beginning. OSA’s greatest strength is its member-driven collaboration, and the Board encourages each Society member to add their own insights and opinions to the conversation. 

Elsa M. Garmire, Sydney E. Junkins 1887 Professor Emeritus of Engineering, Dartmouth College, USA, was named OSA 2019 Honorary Member. Honorary Membership is the most distinguished of all OSA Member categories and is awarded to individuals who have made seminal contributions to the field of optics. Garmire, who served as 1993 OSA President, is honored for her contributions to nonlinear optics and optoelectronics, leadership in linking science and public policy, and for service to OSA.

OSA’s rapid-publication, Gold Open-Access journal, Optics Express, announces the expansion of its dedicated section on Energy, now named Energy and Environmental Optics Express. Led by Deputy Editor Svetlana Boriskina of MIT and to be published in each issue of Optics Express, Energy and Environmental Optics Express will highlight the role of optics and photonics in sustainable energy, the environment, and green technologies. New topics for the section include detection technology related to environmental monitoring, remote observations of atmospheric and oceanic health, and optics applied to general environmental issues. Editor-in-Chief James Leger outlines the need for this expanded section in his recent editorial.

On 25 September, the National Photonics Initiative, an advocacy alliance co-founded and co-sponsored by OSA and SPIE, hosted the U.S.-ELI (Extreme Light Infrastructure) Joint Workshop at OSA headquarters in Washington, DC. The meeting was attended by leaders from academia, laboratory, and government from the U.S. and Europe, including from the three ELI facilities in the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Romania. The participants explored opportunities for collaboration between US and ELI researchers. The meeting was organized by the U.S. Department of State and facilitated by the NPI, with partial funding support from the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. National Science Foundation. Talks from the meeting will be posted on the NPI’s website.

2019 OSA Robert E. Hopkins Leadership Award Recipient Allister Ferguson and 2009 OSA President and OSA International Photonics Advocacy Coalition Chair Tom Baer co-hosted the Annual Global Environmental Measurement and Monitoring (GEMM) Initiative workshop on 13 September 2019, at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland. OSA, in partnership with the American Geophysical Union (AGU), Stanford University and the University of Strathclyde, brought together top technology developers, researchers, industry representatives and government officials to present and discuss the technology, science and policy opportunities and challenges of environmental measurement and monitoring in four of the GEMM Initiative’s regions of interest - Scotland, California, New Zealand and Canada.  Leveraging regional and subnational expertise worldwide, the GEMM Initiative is providing the framework to solve information gaps through technology development and more accurate modeling, giving local policy-makers better environmental tools for planning. 

Name: Ebrahim Karimi (pictured, far right)
Title: Professor
Affiliation: University of Ottawa
Location: Canada

The OSA, via this program, provides an excellent way to promote science/optics around the globe. It is a unique opportunity for young members to interact with scientists, learn new concepts, cutting-edge research, exchange ideas, and find opportunities.

The 2019 Frontiers in Optics + Laser Science (FiO + LS) conference and exhibition, held 15 – 19 September in Washington, D.C., U.S.A, concluded with 1,300 registrants, nearly 100 technical sessions and over 800 technical presentations. This year’s conference focused on four thematic areas -- Autonomous Systems, Nanophotonics and Plasmonics, Virtual Reality and Augmented Vision, and Quantum Technologies. Two plenary sessions provided conference attendees with a depth of knowledge; featuring remarks from 2013 OSA President and Nobel Laureate Donna Strickland who discussed the foundational research that led to her award-winning development of chirped pulse amplification (CPA) and Ronald Hanson, scientific director at QuTech, who described how future quantum networks will harness the power of entanglement. A series of visionary speakers, professional development workshops and networking and the science and industry showcase rounded out this year’s experience.

From 13-15 September, OSA held its Annual Student Leadership Conference where each student chapter had the opportunity to send one representative to Washington, DC, USA for a weekend full of professional development, networking, and student engagement. Two hundred students from 44 countries were represented this year. In addition to supporting their travel and lodging for the Conference, OSA provided access to the Frontiers in Optics (FIO-LS) technical conference and an additional four nights of accommodation. Students took the lessons and skills learned back to their chapters where they can further impact their local communities and career trajectories. 

The Optical Society’s Inaugural 5G Summit provides an overview of the entire 5G Ecosystem.

16-17 October 2019

Featuring experts from: Sprint, China Telecom, Nokia, Futurewei, Finisar, Lumentum, and ADVA Optical

Registration includes hotel, meals, and materials

Discounts are available for OSA Members and Students

Present your work at the largest global conference for optical communications and networking and receive many professional benefits. If your paper is accepted, your work will be published in the OFC 2020 Technical Digest and in OSA's Publishing Digital Library and indexed in Google Scholar, Ei Compendex, Scopus and other indexing services. Accepted papers are also submitted to the IEEE Xplore Digital Library. Submit your paper by 22 October. For more information on topic categories and submission guidelines visit the OFC website.

OSA Student Members are invited to apply to the ICTP Winter College on Optics: Quantum Photonics and Information, to be held in Trieste, Italy from 10 – 21 February 2020. The aim of the Winter College is to offer PhD students and early career researchers training in quantum optics and quantum information. The College will also offer insight in the new quantum technologies involving the generation and manipulation of photonic and matter-like states. A limited number of grants are available to support the attendance of selected participants, with priority given to participants from developing countries. There is no registration fee. The application deadline is 28 October.

Combine your interest in policy with your science background. Apply for the 2020-2021 OSA Congressional Fellowships. Congressional Fellows spend one year working on Capitol Hill as legislative assistants on the staff of a member of the U.S. Congress or a Congressional Committee. Applicants must have a Ph.D. by the start of the fellowship, 1 September 2020. Mid- and late-career applicants are also encouraged to apply. In addition to being a great opportunity for young professionals, this is also an ideal way to spend an academic sabbatical or leave of absence from a company. Deadline to apply is 3 January 2020.

Do you know a public official who has been a champion for optics? Each year, OSA’s Advocate of Optics Recognition commends an outstanding public official who demonstrates leadership in support of the advancement of the science of light.  If you would like to submit a nomination, please email your recommendation to 
public-policy@osa.org and include the nominee’s name, professional title, affiliation, country, and a brief description of why the person is being nominated.  The deadline for submitting recommendations for the 2020 Advocate of Optics is 1 November 2019.

Any amateur or professional astronomer, scientist or teacher is invited to participate. IAU100 encourages school visits taking place during or around the week of 10-17 November 2019. During this week, 10 November will mark the World Science Day for Peace and Development and a Mercury transit will also take place on 11 November.

Register today for the Career Accelerator for Optical Communications! This high impact program is focused on the core skills needed to succeed in the field. Topics include leadership development, team building, business strategy, finance, marketing and negotiation skills. Sessions are led by experts representing key companies in the field of optical communications.

Whether you're looking for a job or looking to fill one, WORKinOPTICS.com is your best global resource for talent in optics and photonics. Visit today and make valuable connections in industry and academia. Your ideal job or candidate is just a click away.

The Headwall Photonics, Inc., Special Projects Team received the 2019 award for the successful development of a compact, rugged, and lightweight imaging spectrometer, optimized for cost-effective airborne retrieval of chlorophyll fluorescence emission signatures monitoring plant health in near-real-time at simultaneously high spectral and spatial resolutions. David Blair, Headwall’s director of strategic programs, pictured with OSA 2019 President Ursula Gibson, accepted the award on behalf of the team.

Jessica Pagonis, OSA director of meeting operations, received the 2019 award for exceptional leadership, the ability to manage parallel and conflicting components of a conference with strategy and focus, and for cultivating an enjoyable work environment.

OIDA has evolved to serve you better! We are delighted to officially announce a new customizable membership model for 2020 with many new and enhanced member benefits.

Featuring:
Customizable Benefits
Flexible Dues Pricing
Enhanced Value

The optics and photonics industry is going through an exciting time, and OIDA is here to provide best in class resources and unparalleled opportunities to grow your business within this community.

Take advantage of our enhanced benefits.

The commercialization of "Quantum 2.0" is already underway, with products such as optical clocks and gravimeters, but there will also be opportunities selling quantum "picks and shovels" while the industry races to commercialize more challenging quantum computer and quantum communication networks. That was one of the messages from a town hall session on quantum photonics at last month's OSA Frontiers in Optics conference, in Washington, DC.

Whether you are new to the review process or are looking for specific information, this convenient portal offers something for everyone:

• Comprehensive reviewer training and certification
• An extensive Recognition and Rewards Program - the first phase of a larger OSA volunteer rewards initiative
• Advice and guidance directly from OSA’s journal editors

To learn more, read the recently published press release and visit the Center.

Journal of Optical Communications and Networking
Low-Margin Optical Networks

Journal of the Optical Society of America B
Laser Filamentation and Applications

Optical Materials Express
Laser Writing

Optical Materials Express and Optics Express
Advanced Solid-State Lasers 2018

Applied Optics
Feature Issue: Active and Passive Optical Remote Sensing of the Aquatic Environment
Submission Deadline: 1 November 2019
Editors: Zhongping Lee (Lead), James Churnside, Zhihua Mao, Songhua Wu, and Giuseppe Zibordi

Feature Issue: Optics Theory and Practice in Iberoamerica
Submission Deadline: 15 November 2019
Editors: Gustavo Olague (Lead), Sambit Bakshi, Josué Alvarez Borrego, Joseph Mait, Amalia Martínez-García, and Markus Testorf

Feature Issue: Advanced Infrared Technology and Applications (AITA) 2019
Submission Opens: 1 December 2019; Submission Deadline: 15 January 2020
Editors: Marija Strojnik (Lead), Mario D'Acunto, and Antoni Rogalski

Biomedical Optics Express
Feature Issue: Optical Technologies for Improving Healthcare in Low-Resource Settings
Submission Deadline: 1 November 2019
Editors: Audrey Bowden (Lead), Nicholas Durr, David Erickson, Aydogan Ozcan, Nimmi Ramanujam, and Paulino Vacas Jacques

Feature Issue: Superresolution Microscopy on the 25th Anniversary of STED Microscopy and the 20th Anniversary of SIM
Submission Deadline: 1 November 2019
Editors: Peter Kner (Lead), Suliana Manley, Yoav Shechtman, and Sjoerd Stallinga

Journal of the Optical Society of America A
Feature Issue: Color Vision 2020
Submission Deadline: 1 November 2019
Editors: John S. Werner (Lead), Jenny Bosten, David Hoyt Brainard, Marina Danilova, Sergejs Fomins, Anya Hurlbert, and Neil Parry

Optical Materials Express
Feature Issue: Novel Optical and Photonic Devices based on 2D Materials
Submission Deadline: 1 November 2019
Editors: Zhengqian Luo (Lead), Qiaoliang Bao, Humeyra Caglayan, Baohua Jia, and Han Zhang

Optical Materials Express and Optics Express
Feature Issue: Nonlinear Optics 2019
Submission Deadline: 15 October 2019
Editors: Cornelia Denz (Lead, Optics Express), David Hagan, (Lead, Optical Materials Express), Robert Boyd, Claudio Conti, Antonio Mecozzi, and Alessandro Salandrino

Feature Issue: Advanced Solid State Lasers 2019
Submission Opens: 15 October 2019; Submission Deadline: 26 November 2019
Editors: Alphan Sennaroglu (Lead), Gregory Goodno, Sergey Mirov, Johan Nilsson, Alan Petersen, Irina Sorokina, and Stefano Taccheo

Optics Express
Feature Issue: Mid-Infrared, Long-Wave Infrared, and Terahertz Photonics
Submission Deadline: 1 November 2019
Editors: Ravi Jain (Co-Lead), Anthony J. Hoffman (Co-Lead), Peter Uhd Jepsen, Peter Qiang Liu, and Miriam Vitiello

Feature Issue: Optical Devices and Materials for Solar Energy and Solid-State Lighting
Submission Deadline: 1 November 2019
Editors: Peter Bermel (Lead), Klaus Jaeger, Rebecca Saive, and Seunghyup Yoo

Feature Issue: Computational Optical Sensing and Imaging (COSI) 2019 
Submission Opens: 15 October 2019; Submission Deadline: 15 November 2019
Editors: Andy Harvey (Lead), Oliver Cossairt, Jun Ke, Edmund Lam, and Prasanna Rangarajan

Feature Issue: Asia-Pacific Optical Sensors Conference (APOS)
Submission Opens: 2 January 2020; Submission Deadline: 15 February 2020
Editors: Cushla McGoverin (Co-Lead), Frédérique Vanholsbeeck (Co-Lead), Judith Dawes, Xinyu Fan, and Yosuke Mizuno

OSA Continuum
Feature Issue: Interaction between Ultrafast or Complex Light Fields and Matter
Submission Deadline: 30 November 2019
Editors: Natalia Litchinitser (Lead), Yoshihiko Arita, Andrew Forbes, and Carlos Lopez-Mariscal

Applied Optics
Laser speckle spots fires through dust and steam – Optics.org
Laser-Based System Detects Fires, Even in Harsh Environments  – Novus Light Technologies Today
Source Article: Simple and robust speckle detection method for fire and heat detection in harsh environments 

Optica
The dawn of optical versions of artificial intelligence? – Innovation Toronto
All-Optical Neural Network Uses Parallel Computation to Speed Problem-Solving – Photonics.com
Source Article: All-optical neural network with nonlinear activation functions

Metasurface Holograms Help Create Fast, Compact Devices to Measure Polarization – AzoOptics.com
Ultra-thin optical elements directly measure polarization – Science Daily
Source Article: Direct polarization measurement using a multiplexed Pancharatnam–Berry metahologram  

Hand-Held Microwave Imaging – To See Through Walls or Detect Tumors – Possible With New Chip – SciTechDaily.com
Source Article: Single-chip nanophotonic near-field imager

Optics Express
Record-fast neutron tomography tracks water pathways into plants – Phys.org
Source Article: What comes NeXT? – High-Speed Neutron Tomography at ILL

Optics Letters
Researchers use metamaterials to create two-part optical security features – Phys.org
Source Article: Reversible decryption of covert nanometer-thick patterns in modular metamaterials