Contact:
Colleen Morrison
Optical Society of America
202.416.1437
cmorri@osa.org

OSA Foundation Funds New Educational Programs 

Society's Philanthropic Organization Focuses on Youth Education and
Awareness of Optics and Photonics 

July 31, 2006 (Washington, DC)—The Optical Society of America's Foundation (OSAF) is pleased to announce that its Board of Directors has awarded four new grants to educational programs aimed at school-aged children. Grants will be given to the National Coalition of Girls Schools, Retired Scientists, Engineers & Technicians (ReSET), University of Nevada , Reno Planetarium and the Optics Institute of Southern California (OISC) to fund projects designed to increase awareness of optics and photonics and encourage interest in the fields.

The OSA Foundation supports activities that have a lasting impact, thanks to the generosity of its donors and the positive outcomes its funded programs have generated. Since its founding in 2002, the Foundation has funded over 60 programs for the purposes of advancing youth science education, supporting optics and photonics students in developing countries, and providing educational and resources to underserved populations.

National Coalition of Girls Schools

The National Coalition of Girls Schools (NCGS) is an association of girls' independent and public, day and boarding schools across the United States with affiliate partners in Canada , Australia , New Zealand , South Africa and the United Kingdom . NCGS is dedicated to providing opportunities for girls to realize their potential and be active and equal, confident and competent leaders, participants and contributors.

The OSAF grant to NCGS will help the organization introduce optics/photonics into its member school classrooms (private and public schools). The grant provides classroom resources that will help teachers to integrate optics and photonics into their science lessons. Further, the grant supports NCGS teacher training and outreach efforts.

Retired Scientists, Engineers & Technicians (ReSET)

ReSET volunteers are retired scientists, engineers and technicians who give their time, energy, and expertise to schoolchildren in the D.C.-metro area. The organization works to provide scientific learning opportunities for children in primary schools in low-income and underprivileged sectors of D.C.

ReSET's biggest challenge centers on its ability to recruit new volunteers with an interest in assisting teachers with science and math lessons. The OSAF has awarded funding to ReSET in support of its volunteer outreach and recruitment efforts. Additionally, the OSAF is donating 10 “Optics Suitcases” (designed for volunteers to take into classrooms for hands-on optics demonstrations).

University of Nevada , Reno Planetarium

The University of Nevada , Reno plans to build a permanent exhibit on optics and optical illusions for the Fleischmann Planetarium and Science Center . The exhibit will include approximately 25 interactive displays designed to illustrate important principles of light and optics relevant to astronomy and vision, and to demonstrate basic principles of visual perception through optical and perceptual illusions. The OSAF will provide financial support for the development of approximately 13 optics exhibit displays.

Located outside of the museum's IMAX theater, this permanent optics exhibit will be visited by more than 35,000 annually. A large number of these visitors are comprised of school children on field trips.

Optics Institute of Southern California (OISC)

OISC holds regular optics and photonics educational programs, its “Optricks” series, including in-classroom activities with the Optricks Suitcase and a larger-scale event called Opticks Days for children in Southern California . The organization's proposal, for the Optricks Cart, would make it possible for expanded yearly efforts that would target not only one classroom, but all of the children in a particular grade, or possibly, in the school. It will provide content and support materials that enable auditorium presentations and large community center events.

The OSAF awarded OISC a grant to assist in the development of a portable educational program, including an optics bench, atomic light sources, LCD projector and an overhead projector.

“The Foundation Board was considerably impressed by the enthusiasm and individuality behind all of the proposals we received this year,” said Gary Bjorklund, chairman, OSA Foundation Board of Directors. “We have such a wealth of generosity in the optics and photonics community and we are lucky to have so many committed members who are dedicated to inspiring tomorrow's scientists. All of the newly funded programs have the potential to make a tremendous impact on the children they reach. That is the true spirit of the OSA Foundation at work.”

About the OSA Foundation

The OSA Foundation was established in 2002 to support philanthropic activities that help further the Optical Society of America's mission by concentrating its efforts on programs that advance youth science education, support optics and photonics in developing countries and provide education and resources to underserved populations. The grants funded by the OSA Foundation are made possible by the generous donations of its supporters as well as the dollar-for-dollar match by OSA. The Foundation is exempt from US federal income taxes under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and is a public charity. To learn more about the OSA Foundation or to find out how to donate, please visit www.osa-foundation.org or email foundation@osa.org .

About OSA

Celebrating its 90th anniversary in 2006, the Optical Society of America (OSA) brings together an international network of the industry's preeminent optics and photonics scientists, engineers, educators, technicians and business leaders. Representing over 14,000 members from more than 80 different countries, OSA promotes the worldwide generation, application and dissemination of optics and photonics knowledge through its meetings, events and journals. Since its founding in 1916, OSA member benefits, programming, publications, products and services have set the industry's standard of excellence. Additional information on OSA is available on the Society's Web site at www.osa.org .

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