Special Events
Throughout the year, OSA takes its issues directly to Capitol Hill through special events geared to raise awareness of the importance of science and engineering among legislators.
Upcoming OSA-Sponsored Events:
2008 Congressional Visits Day (CVD)
Recent OSA-Sponsored Events:
CNSF Fall Hill Visits Day 2007
2007 Congressional R&D Caucus: Strengthening National Defense with Laser Technology
Capitol Hill Day 2007
Congressional Visits Day 2006
2006 Senate S&T Caucus on Advancing Energy Efficiency
CNSF Fall Hill Visits Day 2006
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CNSF Fall Hill Visits Day 2007
September 2007
On Sept. 17 and 18 three OSA members traveled to Washington, D.C. to voice their support of increased U.S. federal funding for the National Science Foundation (NSF). Shawn Casey of DeVry University in North Brunswick, N.J., Danny Rogers of the University of Maryland in College Park, Md., and Brian Weinberg of Special Optics in Wharton, N.J. took part in the Coalition for National Science Funding (CNSF) Fall Hill Visits Day. OSA was one of approximately 25 CNSF member organizations that participated and Casey, Rogers and Weinberg were among 40 scientists and engineers from 11 states who visited a total of 65 congressional offices.
The participants gathered in D.C. on Sept. 17 to meet and discuss strategies for their congressional visits the following day. That evening, a reception for the participants was held on the Hill. Reps. Vernon Ehlers (R-Mich.) and Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.) were in attendance and made remarks.
On Sept. 18, the participants visited the offices of their elected officials, bringing with them the message of the importance of the National Science Foundation to innovation and to U.S. competitiveness.
For more information on NSF, click the following links:
NSF FY 2008 Budget Information
NSF Award Summary by State
FY 2008 Leave-Behind Statement
To learn more about the importance of increased federal funding for science and technology and to contact your legislators directly about this issue, visit OSA’s Legislative Action Center. We encourage OSA members visiting the Washington, D.C. area to contact the OSA government relations team to make appointments to visit your senators and Congressional representative. Contact Angela Stark, 202.416.1443 or astark@osa.org for more information.
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Strengthening National Defense with Laser Technology
A Congressional R&D Caucus Briefing
Sept. 6, 2007
On Sept. 6, OSA hosted a Congressional R&D Caucus briefing on Capitol Hill highlighting the ways laser technology is contributing to U.S. national defense. A panel comprised of researchers working in the field of optics will discuss laser-based research being done by the federal government, universities and industry that will transform and improve military operations in the future.
More than 80 staffers and government relations professionals attended the luncheon event to hear about the latest capabilities in laser detection and ranging, laser reconnaissance, laser communication, laser weapon systems and more. Photos and presentations are available below.
Speakers included:
Moderator
Duncan Moore, Ph.D.
Professor of Optical and Biomedical Engineering
Institute of Optics, University of Rochester
Targeting and Reconnaissance with Lasers
Robert Pack, Ph.D.
Director
USTAR Directed Energy Sensors Technology Group
Utah State University
Presentation: Part 1 (PDF), Part 2 (PDF)
Lasers for Security
Douglas P. Crawford, Ph.D.
Director
Solid State Laser Weapon Systems Directed Energy Systems
Northrop Grumman
Presentation (PDF)
Laser Communication in Space
Don Boroson, Ph.D.
Leader, Optical Communications Group
Communications and Information Technology Division
MIT Lincoln Laboratory
Please reserve your seat by emailing
Presentation (PDF)
Dr. Robert Pack of Utah State University discusses how lasers are used in targeting and reconnaissance missions. |
Northrop Grumman's Dr. Douglas Crawford presents information on high-power laser systems. |
Dr. Don Boroson, MIT Lincoln Lab, shares information on the latest laser communication technologies.
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More than 80 Congressional staffers and government relations professionals attended the briefing. |
Click here to view the event invitation.
Click here to view the "Dear Colleague" letter from Rep. Rush Holt (NJ).
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Capitol Hill Day 2007
May 9 - 10, 2007
OSA, along with co-sponsors OIDA, APS and IEEE-LEOS, hosted a Capitol Hill Day event in conjunction with CLEO/QELS 2007 in Baltimore. Nearly 30 participants visited the offices of their senators and representatives to advocate for increased funding for scientific R&D and STEM education programs. More information and photos can be found at www.osa.org/CapHillDay.
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Congressional Visits Day 2006
March 28-29, 2006
Congressional Visits Day is an annual event sponsored by the Science-Engineering-Technology Work Group, a group with which OSA collaborates. This year more than 300 scientists spoke with their senators and representatives to stress the importance of research and science funding.
In 2006 OSA and SPIE joined forces to visit members of Congress during this event on March 28 and 29. Peter Delfyett (FL), Alex Fong (FL), Scott McCain (NC), Robert Breault (AZ), Jim McNally (NM), John Gonglewski (NM), Steve Pompea (AZ), Wayne Knox (NY), Carolyn Russell (NY), Frank Duarte (NY), Ralph James (NY), Silvia Mioc (CO), Keri Then (CA), Barbara Darnell (MA), Philip Stahl (AL), and Paul McManamon (OH) joined with more than 300 scientists, engineers and business leaders who made visits on Capitol Hill to express to Congress the need for increased federal investment in basic research and development, reiterating that federally funded research is critical to America's future competitiveness.
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Advancing Energy Efficiency: Solid State Lighting Innovations with Optics
A Senate S&T Caucus Briefing
| On June 29, 2006, OSA hosted a briefing on advancing energy efficiency through solid state lighting as part of the Senate S&T Caucus. Leading professionals in the optics industry presented information about cutting-edge technologies being used to save energy. More than 70 staffers, media and government relations professionals attended the event to hear details on current solid state lighting programs in the U.S., research efforts and commercial products. |
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Moderator
Alex Fong
Vice President of Sales and Marketing Optronic Laboratories, Inc.
The Government’s Role
Jerry Simmons
Deputy Director for Energy Sciences
Center for Physical, Chemical & Nano Sciences
Sandia National Laboratories |
Tutorial and Overview of Solid State Lighting
Ghassan E. Jabbour
Director of Research and Development
Optoelectronic Materials and Systems
Arizona State University
Industry Applications
John Ekis
Director of Sales
Lamina Ceramics |
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Jerry Simmons of Sandia National Laboratories focused his talk on the government’s role in advancing lighting technology and its ability to increase energy efficiency. |
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Ghassan Jabbour of Arizona State University presented information on LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) and the importance of nanoscience R&D to further this highly efficient technology. |
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John Ekis of Lamina Ceramics presented the industrial perspective of solid state lighting markets, today’s uses for the technology and tomorrow’s commercial potential. |
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To conclude the presentation, Simmons discussed current programs by the U.S. government supporting solid state lighting research and development. |
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For more information on the event, contact OSA’s public policy department at 202.416.1499.
View the entire event presentation
See the event invitation |
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CNSF Fall Hill Visits Day
September 2006
On Sept. 12 and 13 two OSA members traveled to Washington, D.C. to voice their support of increased U.S. federal funding for the National Science Foundation. Professor Prem Kumar of Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., and Mike Millard of ITT Industries in Rochester, N.Y., took part in the Coalition for National Science Funding (CNSF) Fall Hill Visits Day. OSA was one of 27 CNSF member organizations that participated and Kumar and Millard were among 80 scientists and engineers from 25 states who visited a total of 101 congressional offices.
The participants gathered in D.C. on Sept. 12 to meet and discuss strategies for their congressional visits the following day. That evening, a reception for the participants was held on the Hill. Reps. Sherwood Boehlert (R-N.Y.), Bart Gordon (D-Tenn.), Vernon Ehlers (R-Mich.) and Rush Holt (D-N.J.) were in attendance and made remarks.
On Sept. 13, the participants visited the offices of their elected officials, bringing with them the message of the importance of the National Science Foundation to innovation and to U.S. competitiveness.
For more information on NSF, click the following links:
FY 2007 CNSF Leave Behind Statement
NSF FY 2007 Budget Comparisons
Chart on NSF Budgets FY2000-FY2007
Chart on NSF Budget and Authorization FY2000-FY2007
To learn more about the importance of increased federal funding for science and technology and to contact your legislators directly about this issue, visit OSA’s Legislative Action Center. We encourage OSA members visiting the Washington, D.C. area to contact the OSA government relations team to make appointments to visit your senators and Congressional representative. Contact Angela Stark, 202.416.1443 or astark@osa.org for more information.
Advancing the Science of Light
