OSA is committed to providing the support and resources our members and customers expect to be safe and informed during the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic. We are maintaining business operations and delivering services in all program areas virtually to ensure our community continues to receive high-quality content.

Check out our website for the latest in virtual resources, event updates, exclusive content and more.

While COVID-19 continues to change our lives in ways we could never have imagined, OSA is looking forward and dedicated to keeping our community connected. We could not do that without our passionate, dedicated volunteers. OSA volunteers serve on committees and as reviewers, engage with the OSA Technical Groups and, today, are working to provide online webinars and interactive content on technical topics, professional development, and diversity and inclusion.

Read about one of our dedicated volunteers’ experience in this blog post by OSA Senior Member and 2019 Ambassador Amol Choudhary, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, India.

We will be highlighting the work of our volunteers during #NationalVolunteerMonth on our social media channels where you can also get information on upcoming virtual events and activities. Don’t forget to visit the Get Involved section of our website to learn more about volunteer opportunities and ways you can stay connected.

Are you at home and looking for something to do? Are you a member of the Traveling Lecturer Program? We are excited to offer a virtual lecturer experience through Zoom! If you are interested in hosting a virtual Traveling Lecture, please complete this quick form and tell us what you want to share with the community. We hope to highlight a lecturer weekly to provide high-level technical and/or professional development content to our members worldwide. Come join us in keeping the community connected and share your expertise!

OSA Leadership met 29 March – 2 April in a fully virtual format for a series of engaging and productive meetings. Many thanks to the volunteers and officers who are committed to moving our society forward and leveraging technology to stay connected.

The Milton and Rosalind Chang Pivoting Fellowship provides support to talented, early career optical scientists and engineers who believe their expertise can be utilized to improve society beyond the bench. This program is intended to encourage people of exceptional talent to pursue their newfound passion.

Each year, one OSA member is presented stipend of $50,000 USD. The Fellowship is an investment in a person's commitment to advancing science through non-traditional career paths (e.g. public policy, government, and journalism). The Fellowship is given in support of the individual, not a project.

WORKinOPTICS.com is the top destination for job seekers in optics and photonics. Check out some of these recent postings and set up a search agent to be alerted to new jobs that match your skills. Upload your resume to let employers find you!

• Scientist - Machine Learning for Lasers, DESY
• Engineering Product Specialist, MKS Instruments
• Open-Rank Research Scientist in Ultrafast Laser Science at CXFEL, Arizona State University
• Associate Professor in Quantum information processing, Telecom Paris
• And More!

Honorary Membership is the most distinguished of all OSA Member categories, and is awarded to individuals who have made unique, seminal contributions to optics and photonics. Any OSA member may nominate a colleague. To submit a nomination, email a 1-page statement of support for the candidate to awards@osa.org by 1 May 2020.

Living Honorary Members include: Arthur Ashkin, Steven Chu, Claude Cohen-Tannoudji, Elsa M. Garmire, Joseph W. Goodman, John L. Hall, Theodor W. Hänsch, Stephen E. Harris, Robert W. Hellwarth, Nick Holonyak, Donald B. Keck, Herwig Kogelnik, John C. Mather, William D. Phillips, David J. Wineland and Amnon Yariv.

We are pleased to recognize the following the 2020 recipients of OSA Awards and Medals. You can view a full list of 2020 winners here.

Max Born Award: 
Nader Engheta, University of Pennsylvania, USA 

Joseph W. Goodman Book Writing Award:
Irving J Bigio, Boston University, USA and Sergio Fantini, Tufts University, USA 

Robert E. Hopkins Leadership Award:
Roberta Ramponi, IFN-CNR and Politecnico di Milano, Italy

Edwin Land Medal (co-sponsored by the Society for Imaging Science and Technology):
Eric R. Fossum, Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth, USA

Sang Soo Lee Award (co-sponsored by the Optical Society of Korea):
Ajoy Ghatak, NASI (The National Academy of Sciences India), Prayagraj, India  

Ellis R. Lippincott Award (co-sponsored with the Coblentz Society and the Society for Applied Spectroscopy):
Volker Deckert, Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology, Jena, Germany

William F. Meggers Award:
Tony F. Heinz, Stanford University and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, USA

Kevin P. Thompson Optical Design Innovator Award: 
Aaron Bauer, University of Rochester, USA 

Recognize a colleague for their distinguished contributions to quantum optics and atomic physics, and leadership in the international scientific community. The Walther Award is co-sponsored by OSA and Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft (DPG). Recent winners include, Eugene S Polzik, Peter L Knight, Gerd Leuchs, Randall Hulet and Peter A Zoller.

Submission Deadline: 10 August

Nominate a colleague who has made outstanding contributions in any area of optical-fiber technology, including optical fibers themselves, the optical components used in fiber systems, as well as transmission systems and networks using fibers. The Tyndall Award is co-sponsored by OSA and IEEE Photonics Society.  Nominations for the 2021 award should be submitted to IEEE Photonics Society. Recent winners include, Roel G. F Baets, Kim Robert, Peter J Winzer, Evgeny M Dianov, Alan H Gnauck.

Submission Deadline: 10 August

Our sympathy goes out to those caring for family and neighbors through this pandemic; to companies and their workers struggling to keep operations open; and for anyone experiencing anxiety as we all hope for a swift and safe global public health response.

The cartoon evokes a time many may have felt before the pandemic struck the globe. And yet, at this writing at the end of March 2020, here we are in the Age of SARS-CoV-2 virus. We are in a Black Swan, a singularity, an unexpected event which makes previous forecasts invalid. Market forecasts are most valuable when markets are neither too predictable nor too chaotic. Is a forecast even possible right now?

12-16 October 2020, Québec City Convention Centre, Québec City, Québec, Canada

As of the publication of this newsletter, this meeting will be held as scheduled.

OSA continues to monitor advisories related to COVID-19, and commits to being responsive amidst changing conditions to facilitate maximum participation for speakers and attendees while ensuring the well-being of all participants.

The Laser Applications Conference (LAC) is now accepting papers for posters and may upgrade some of the posters to oral presentations. In addition to posters, the meeting is an all invited speaker format for industry in Laser Applications at the OSA Laser Congress. This 3-day meeting focuses on two main topic areas -- Materials Processing and Applications for High Power Lasers.

View the complete list of topics.

One of the themes of this meeting will be to initiate discussions on what engineering and production advances are needed to translate promising technological advances into marketable products.

At LAC, you'll be immersed in an innovative learning environment that introduces new, groundbreaking information, offers insightful knowledge, showcases cutting-edge products and engages your active participation in important debates and discussions.

Submit your research by 11 June. 

OSA Publishing recognizes that our authors, reviewers, and editors are dealing with disruption and delays due to COVID-19 (Coronavirus). Please let us know if you need more time to complete revisions or a review, and we will do our best to keep the publishing process moving smoothly. Wishing everyone good health during this difficult time.

Applied Optics
Active and Passive Optical Remote Sensing of the Aquatic Environment

Biomedical Optics Express
Superresolution Microscopy on the 25th Anniversary of STED Microscopy and the 20th Anniversary of SIM

Journal of Optical Communications and Networking
Photonic Networks and Devices (NETWORKS) 2019 Special Issue

Journal of the Optical Society of America A
Color Vision 2020

Optical Materials Express
Materials and Devices for Quantum Photonics
Novel Optical and Photonic Devices based on 2D Materials

Journal of the Optical Society of America A and Journal of the Optical Society of America B
Feature Issue: Optics in Africa
Submission Deadline: 1 May 2020
Editors: Andrew Forbes (Lead), Rim Cherif, Alain Dikande, Angela Dudley, and Ahmadou Wague

Optical Materials Express
Feature Issue: Photonic Topological Materials
Submission Deadline: 1 May 2020
Editors: Alberto Amo (Lead), Tomoki Ozawa, and Ramy El-Ganainy

Feature Issue: 3D Printing—Enabled by Light and Enabling the Manipulation of Light
Submission Opens: 1 June 2020; Submission Deadline: 1 July 2020
Guest Editors: Martin Wegener (Lead), Eva Blasco, Shoji Maruo, and Xianfan Xu

Photonics Research
Feature Issue: Perovskite Photonics
Submission Deadline: 1 June 2020
Guest Editors: Qing Zhang (Lead), Carole Diederichs, and Qihua Xiong

Feature Issue: Topological Photonics and Beyond
Submissions Open: 1 May 2020; Submission Deadline: 1 July 2020
Guest Editors: Andrea Alu (Lead), Jingyun Fan, Laura Pilozzi, and Haitan Xu

Biomedical Optics Express
AI Being Used to Analyze Retinal Images – Unite.ai
New Algorithm Could Enable Personalized Treatment for Diabetic Macular Edema – AzoRobotics
Source Article: Deep learning-based single-shot prediction of differential effects of anti-VEGF treatment in patients with diabetic macular edema

Optica
Laser-Driven X-Rays and Fluorescence Imaging Capture Details of Atomizing Sprays – Photonics.com
Laser fluorescence plus x-ray absorption reveals structure of sprays – Optics.org
Source Article: Simultaneous laser-driven x-ray and two-photon fluorescence imaging of atomizing sprays 

Applied Optics
Deformable Mirrors Raise Sensitivity of Gravitational Wave Detectors – AZoOptics
Precision mirrors poised to improve sensitivity of gravitational wave detectors – Science Daily
Source Article: High dynamic range thermally actuated bimorph mirror for gravitational wave detectors 

Laser system designed to keep an eye on bendy buildings – New Atlas
New technique to monitor structural deformation in real time – TheCivilEngineer.org
Source Article: Precise building deformation measurement using holographic multipoint replication 

Optica
A step toward quantum-secured communication – Tech Explorist
Chip-based devices feature optics for QKD datacoms – Optics.org
Source Article: Chip-based measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution  

Smartphone Cameras Might Not Need To Focus Soon, Here's Why – Screen Rant
Focus-free camera uses a newly designed flat lens – SlashGear
Source Article: Extreme-depth-of-focus imaging with a flat lens

REDFINCH consortium grows mid-IR laser diodes on silicon towards low-cost sensors – Laser Focus World
Laser diodes grown directly on silicon substrates promise cheaper sensors – Optics.org
Source Article: Mid-infrared laser diodes epitaxially grown on on-axis (001) silicon

Optics Express
Low-Noise Fiber Link is Set to Expand the Use of Optical Clocks – AZoOptics
Long-distance fiber link poised to create powerful networks of optical clocks – Science Daily
Source Article: Optical frequency distribution using laser repeater stations with planar lightwave circuits 

Optics Letters
Optical Phased Array Shows Promise for Quantum Computing – AzoQuantum
Compact Beam Steering to Revolutionize Autonomous Navigation, AR, Neuroscience – Novus Light Technologies Today
Source Article: Chip-scale blue light phased array

Hypertelescope camera captures ‘unprecedented detail’ of celestial objects – E&T Magazine
'Hypertelescope' camera could revolutionize celestial photography – Space Daily
Source Article: Hypertelescope with multiplexed fields of view