Professional Societies
OP-TEC collaborates with multiple optics and photonics-related professional and technical society partners throughout the nation.
These partners provide OP-TEC valuable support in many areas including, but not limited to:
- Assistance in the identification of optics and photonics-related employers
- Faculty development opportunities
- Student chapter information
- Local, regional and national professional meetings and conferences
- Education outreach and career awareness information and materials
- Technical and professional expertise
OP-TEC also works to provide mutual support to each of these partners by disseminating society information to OP-TEC contacts and partners, attending and supporting professional society events and meetings, distributing society educational outreach and career awareness materials and providing resources and support to collaborative projects.
Please see the list below of OP-TEC’s Professional Society partners. A brief description from each partner’s website has also been provided below. We encourage you to click on the website link or society logo to visit each partner’s website for more information on their organization, services and membership.
Optical Society of America
The mission of the Optical Society of America (OSA) is to promote the generation, application and archiving of knowledge in optics and photonics and to disseminate this knowledge worldwide. The purposes of the Society are scientific, technical and educational.
Founded in 1916, OSA brings together optics and photonics scientists, engineers, educators, technicians and business leaders. OSA is dedicated to providing its members and the scientific community with educational resources that support technical and professional development. OSA publications, events and services help to advance the science of light by addressing the ongoing need for shared knowledge and innovation. The Society’s commitment to excellence and long-term learning is the driving force behind all its initiatives.
International Society for Optical Engineering (SPIE)
SPIE is the international society for optics and photonics founded in 1955 to advance light-based technologies. Serving more than 188,000 constituents from 138 countries, the Society advances emerging technologies through interdisciplinary information exchange, continuing education, publications, patent precedent, and career and professional growth. SPIE annually organizes and sponsors approximately 25 major technical forums, exhibitions, and education programs in North America, Europe, Asia, and the South Pacific.
In 2008, the Society provided more than $1.9 million in support of scholarships, grants, and other education programs around the world.
SPIE publishes the SPIE Digital Library, containing approximately 280,000 research papers from the Proceedings of SPIE and the Society’s six scholarly journals, with around 18,000 new papers added each year.
Laser Institute of America (LIA)
Laser Institute of America (LIA), founded in 1968, is the professional society for laser applications and safety. Their mission is to foster lasers, laser applications, and laser safety worldwide.
LIA is recognized as the professional society for laser applications and safety, LIA serves industrial, educational, medical, research and government communities across the globe. Members are comprised of laser researchers, manufacturers, integrators and end users—all working together to increase the use and safe application of laser technologies.
To further enhance LIA’s mission of fostering lasers, laser applications and laser safety worldwide, it serves as the secretariat and publisher of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Z136 series of laser safety standards. These standards constitute the foundation of laser safety programs nationwide.
IEEE Photonics Society
(formerly IEEE Laser & Electro-Optics Society)
Mission – (IEEE Photonics Society) shall advance the interests of its members and the laser, optoelectronics, and photonics professional community by:
- Providing opportunities for information exchange, continuing education, and professional growth;
- Publishing journals, sponsoring conferences, and supporting local chapter and student activities;
- Formally recognizing the professional contributions of members;
- Representing the laser, optoelectronics, and photonics community and serving as its advocate within the IEEE, the broader scientific and technical community, and society at large.
American Precision Optics Manufacturing Association (APOMA)
Mission – APOMA represents a broad constituency of precision optics manufacturers, and the supporting industry along with academic associates, whose mutual interest is the advancement and expansion of optics manufacturing and technology. APOMA is pledged to act on behalf of its members, whose common interests are far more important than the small differences that have for too long fragmented the industry. Common concern and cooperation are the essential foundation of sustaining a viable technology base.
If you would like more information about OP-TEC’s Professional Society partnerships, please contact us!
