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January 2026

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Optica Member News January 2026
Seeing What’s Up Down Below
Job Seekers visiting Optica Booth
The researchers found that agave leaves have an inner core that remains highly hydrated while the outer layer acts as a protective barrier to reduce water loss.

The ocean, covering two-thirds of Earth’s surface, is the planet’s biggest, richest ecosystem and a key regulator of global climate—but according a study published in May 2025, less than 0.001% of the global seafloor has been visually observed. A feature article in the January issue of Optica’s magazine Optics & Photonics News (OPN) looks at the worldwide scientific effort—via cameras, lighting and other optics—to get a better view of the deep sea and establish a baseline for the changing climate.
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What is the “Next Big Thing”?
Next Big Thing

What defines the next major trend in optics and photonics isn’t always a breakthrough technology, it’s where funding is flowing. In this Optics & Photonics News market report, Tom Hausken examines how public and private investment patterns point to military and defense technology as a major driver in 2026.

Rising global defense budgets, increased venture capital activity, and demand for technologies such as autonomous systems, satellites, directed-energy weapons, and AI-enabled platforms are creating new opportunities for optics and photonics suppliers, often beyond traditional defense contractors. The article also explores how past trends like AI, quantum, and fusion followed similar funding cycles, and what may come next as energy demands grow.
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Senior Member Spotlight
courtesy Carolyn Levine
 

From early breakthroughs in nonlinear optics to research that directly influenced semiconductor manufacturing, Zachary Levine’s career reflects the impact of strong fundamentals paired with curiosity. His work helped shape modern optical response calculations, informed industry shifts away from 157 nm lithography, and bridged theory with real-world applications.

In this month’s Senior Member Spotlight, Levine shares how confusion can be a signal to slow down and think, why conferences reveal the problems that matter most, and how emerging tools like AI and inverse design will shape the next generation of optics research.
Learn More About Zachary Levine
Fellow Insight-Outreach
Photo courtesy of Carla Figueira de Morisson Faria
 

Carla Figueira de Morisson Faria emphasizes the idea that scientists cannot remain in their “ivory tower,” and instead should try to reach communities outside their own. This can be a daunting challenge, and results can be difficult to assess. She has learned that the balance between effectiveness and self-care is key. As she continues to find more balance in her outreach work, she calls on organizations like Optica to continue and expand these activities, with care to include communities outside the traditional scope.
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Upcoming Webinar: Building Your Career Roadmap
Building Your Career Roadmap
Do you know where you want your career to go this year, or in the next 5 to 10 years? Join the WORKinOPTICS Career Center for an interactive webinar with Certified Career Coaches Donna Shannon and Dia Kline. You’ll work through exercises to identify what matters most to you and turn those insights into actionable SMART goals.

Who Should Attend: Early-career professionals, mid-career scientists and engineers, graduate students, postdocs, or anyone seeking clarity, structure, and motivation for their career path.
Register Now
Community Matters
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Join Us in Los Angeles
Register for OFC 2026, 15–19 March 2026, and experience the full scope of optical communications in Los Angeles. Take advantage of early registration rates before 13 February and access world-class technical sessions, industry summits and the global OFC exhibition.
Register Now
 
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Now is the Time to Submit
Submit your paper to the Optica ImageSense Congress, 12–17 July 2026 in Maastricht. Share advances in imaging and sensing across computational imaging, optical sensors and emerging applications.
Prepare Your Research
 
Image for keeping the session alive