SPIE Thanks Retiring Science Committee Chairman Sherwood Boehlert for FY2008 Funding Recommendations
Bellingham, Washington - 18 December 2006 - Retiring Science Committee Chairman Sherwood Boehlert outlined a fiscal 2008 science funding path for the Administration in a letter to Office of Management and Budget Director Rob Portman. In the letter, Boehlert said that the Appropriations Committee in the Senate and the House had voted for American Competitiveness Initiative (ACI) requests this year and urged the Administration to "press forward" with the appropriate level of funding for the second year of the Initiative. Boehlert said "I hope your fiscal 2008 requests for the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) will be at levels appropriate for a second year of ACI implementation. We can't slow the rate of increase for these vital agencies even though Congress did not complete its work on appropriation."
In a letter to Boehlert, SPIE President, Dr. Paul F. McManamon, and SPIE Executive Director, Dr. Eugene G. Arthurs thanked him for his support and his parting recommendations, "We appreciate your December 7th letter to the Office of Management and Budget highlighting the need for national investment in science funding and requesting continued support of the American Competitiveness Initiative. SPIE deeply appreciates your unstinting service in an era of difficult decisions and constrained resources. Yours was a very difficult job and you performed it admirably."
SPIE is a not-for-profit professional society that has become the largest international force for the exchange, collection and dissemination of knowledge in optics, photonics and imaging.
SPIE Announces SciTech Prize for Student Excellence in Optics and Engineering
Bellingham, Washington- 25 October 2006 - SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering announces the launch of a new journal, the Journal of Nanophotonics (JNP). This online-only journal will launch in January 2007. Akhlesh Lakhtakia of The Pennsylvania State University has been appointed Editor-in-Chief of the new journal.
The online-only format provides numerous features and advantages, including multimedia capabilities, full color, and rapid publication. This will be one of the first two SPIE journals to publish multimedia video and audio files. The online format also accommodates publication of color imagery.
The new journal will use an online peer-review system, author-prepared manuscripts, and an article-at-a-time publishing model to enable rapid publication almost immediately upon final acceptance.
The journal will be published as part of the SPIE Digital Library (http://spiedl.org), which is the most extensive resource available on optics and photonics, providing access to more than 225,000 technical papers from SPIE Journals and Conference Proceedings from 1990 to the present, with new papers being added continually.
The Journal of Nanophotonics will focus on the fabrication and application of nanostructures that facilitate the generation, propagation, manipulation, and detection of light from the infrared to the ultraviolet regimes. Topics within the scope of the journal include: nanoparticles and nanoparticulate composite materials; quantum dots and other low-dimensional nanostructures; nanotubes, nanowires, and nanofibers; nanowaveguides and nanoantennas; sculptured thin films and nanostructured photonic crystals; quantum optics and spintronics; nanoscale optical electronics; surface plasmons and nanoplasmonics; ultrashort pulse propagation; light-harvesting materials and devices; nanophotonic detectors; near-field optics, optical manipulation techniques, spectroscopies, and scattering techniques; molecular self-assembly, and other nanofabrication techniques; nanobiophotonics; and nanophotonic concepts and systems that facilitate continued integration of various optical and/or electronic functions. The scope extends to theory, modeling and simulation, experimentation, instrumentation, and application.
Akhlesh Lakhtakia is a Distinguished Professor of Engineering Science and Mechanics at The Pennsylvania State University and a Visiting (Adjunct) Professor of Physics (2004-2007) at Imperial College, London. He received his Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the University of Utah. His research interests lie in the electromagnetics of complex mediums, sculptured thin films, and nanotechnology. He is a Fellow of OSA, SPIE, and the Institute of Physics (UK).
Submissions to the Journal of Applied Remote Sensing will be accepted starting in late September 2006. Authors interested in submitting manuscripts should contact SPIE for guidelines:
SPIE, Journals Department, PO Box 10, Bellingham, WA 98227-0010, Phone 360-676-3290, Fax 360-647-1445, Web: http://spie.org/jars, E-mail: jars@spie.org.
For subscription information, contact subscriptions@spie.org.
SPIE Hosts the Newport Spectra-Physics Research Excellence Awards at Optics & Photonics
Bellingham, Washington - 4 August 2006 - SPIE announces free PDF downloads of all Education and Training in Optics and Photonics (ETOP) conference proceedings.
Educators anywhere in the world may now access all of the published papers at no charge, at http://spie.org/communityServices/StudentsAndEducators/etop/
The first ETOP conference occurred in 1988 and subsequent meetings have been held approximately every two years at various locations around the world. The purpose of ETOP is to bring together the international community of optics educators to share education and training methods relevant to the field. This meeting enjoys the on-going support of both academia and industry. Participants from optics programs at all levels have contributed papers to the proceedings of this meeting.
ETOP is sponsored by SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering, the Optical Society of America (OSA), and the International Commission for Optics (ICO).
About SPIE: SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering is a not-for-profit technical society with a membership of more than 17,000 optical engineers and scientists. SPIE is dedicated to advancing scientific research and engineering applications of optical, photonic, imaging, and optoelectronic technologies through its meetings, education programs, and publications.
On March 28 and 29, members of SPIE - International Society for Optical Engineering and the Optical Society of America (OSA) traveled to Washington, D.C. to express to Congress the need for increased and balanced federal investment in research and development and the fact that federally funded research is critical to securing the nation's economic future. Philip Stahl (AL), Steve Pompea (AZ), Robert Breault (AZ), Keri Then (CA), Silvia Mioc (CO), Alexandre Fong (FL), Peter Delfyett (FL), Barbara Darnell (MA), Scott McCain (NC), John Gonglweski (NM), Jim McNally (NM), Ralph James (NY), Carolyn Russell (NY), Wayne Knox (NY), Dr. F. J. Duarte (NY), and Paul McManamon (OH) joined with nearly 300 scientists, engineers and business leaders who made visits on Capitol Hill as part of the eleventh annual "Congressional Visits Days," an event sponsored by the Science-Engineering-Technology Work Group.
While visiting Congressional offices members of SPIE and the OSA discussed the importance of the nation's broad portfolio of investments in science, engineering and technology to promoting national security, prosperity and US leadership and innovation. Most importantly, they provided a constituent perspective on the local and national impact of these programs.
More than 50 percent of all industrial innovation and growth in the United States since World War II can be attributed to advances pioneered through scientific research, with publicly funded R&D the vital foundation for today's scientific and technological progress. Examples of scientific and technological advances that can be traced back to federally funded science, engineering and technology include global environmental monitoring, lasers, liquid crystal displays, and the Internet. And science, engineering and technology will play an important role in the fight against terrorism, and our leadership in this area is one of our great advantages for ensuring homeland security. It is also crucial for ensuring our economic well-being.
"Senior staff members in both the House and Senate were very receptive this year to our visits and support appropriation of funds for STEM education and research. The tangible benefits of national support for this issue may not be seen for years to come, but advocating for this important issue now will ensure science, engineering, and math students of the future." Keri Then, University of Redlands.
Highlights of the two-day event included remarks by leading science administrators in the federal government, including William Jeffrey, Director, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Richard O. Buckius, Acting Assistant Director for Engineering, National Science Foundation, and David Goldston, Chief of Staff of the House Science Committee, Jonathan Epstein, Legislative Fellow, Office of Senator Jeff Bingaman, Bill Bonvillian, Director, MIT Washington Office; a reception that included awarding the George E. Brown Jr. Science, Engineering, Technology Leadership Award to Representative Frank Wolf of Virginia. The attendees then made hundreds of visits to their Senators and Representatives.
The Science-Engineering-Technology Work Group is an information network comprising over 40 professional, scientific, and engineering societies, higher education associations, industry and institutions of higher learning. The Work Group is concerned about the future vitality of the U.S. science, mathematics, and engineering enterprise.
SPIE-The International Society for Optical Engineering is the largest international not-for-profit society in optics, photonics and imaging. Combined with its 431 corporate members, the Society's 17,000 individual members - including 3,500 students and representing 86 countries - is the force for the exchange, collection and dissemination of knowledge. Providing more than $900,000 annually in scholarships, grants, and financial support, SPIE encourages scientific education and innovation and is the growing legacy of those who seek to learn, discover and innovate by building a better world with light.
Celebrating its 90th anniversary in 2006, the Optical Society of America 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 concerning the 2005 Congressional Visits Day can be found on the Web at: www.setcvd.org/.
SPIE and OSA Honor Barrett and Myers with First Goodman Book Award
Bellingham, Washington - 6 March 2006 - SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering, and The Optical Society of America (OSA) today announced that Harrison H. Barrett and Kyle J. Myers are the recipients of the first Joseph W. Goodman Book Writing Award for their work, Foundations of Image Science. A biennial award funded by the J.W. & H.M. Goodman Foundation, the Goodman Award recognizes a recent and outstanding book in the field of optics and photonics that has contributed significantly to research, teaching, or the optics and photonics industry. As this year's recipients, Barrett and Myers will share the $5,000 prize and will accept the award at an upcoming SPIE or OSA meeting.
Described by a joint awards committee from the two societies as "a superb example of scientific and technical writing" and "likely to become the standard text for the next generations of students interested in image science," the Barrett and Myers volume explores the basic theories behind imaging systems, including the principles, mathematics, and statistics needed to understand and evaluate these systems. Published by John Wiley & Sons, the work provides a strong foundation for graduate and undergraduate students and workers in the field exploring imaging science, from satellites to medicine and beyond.
The selection committee, chaired by Anthony Siegman, reviewed a dozen initial nominations chose six top finalists based on recognition and merit within the community. Then, each member of the committee reviewed each finalist work, sought outside opinions, and reconvened to make a decision on the winning book.
"While all of the finalist works were of very high quality, committee members agreed that Foundations of Image Science was the right choice. As one of our reviewers remarked, this is a book that should be found on the bedside table of any imaging science researcher," said Anthony Siegman, selection committee chair. "On behalf of the committee, I would like to congratulate Harrison Barrett and Kyle Myers."
To be eligible for the award, books must meet several requirements. By the terms of the Goodman grant, books to be considered should have been recently published, and should be "authored" technical books rather than edited compilations, handbooks, reviews, or popular science books. Additionally, nominated books must be in print currently, readily available from the publisher and suppliers and must be available in English.
Nominations for the first Goodman Award were solicited through August 1, 2005. Any member of the optics and photonics community was able to nominate a book meeting the eligibility requirements. Nominations consisted of a 300- to 500-word narrative describing how the nominated book has "contributed significantly to research, to teaching, or to the optics and photonics industry," a short biographical note on the person making the nomination, and basic book information, including its full title, the full name of author, publisher, and date of publication.
Donated jointly to SPIE and OSA and managed by the OSA Foundation, the endowment for this award was provided by a personal gift from Joseph W. and Hon Mai Goodman. The Joseph W. Goodman Book Writing Award thus becomes a new addition to the prestigious industry and professional awards already offered by SPIE and OSA.
When citing why he wanted to sponsor this award, Professor Goodman said, "Scientific and technical books can have an important impact on progress in optics. Recognition of important books as a substantial contribution to the field will hopefully encourage book writing by researchers and educators at all stages of their professional careers, and will benefit not only the book writers, but also the field of optics."
In addition to the winning work, five honorable mentions were selected from among this year's nominees, including:
- Nonlinear Fiber Optics, 3rd edition, G.P. Agrawal, Academic Press/2001
- Nonlinear Optics, 2nd edition, Robert W. Boyd, Academic Press/2003
- Optical Imaging and Aberrations, Part II. Wave Diffraction Optics, Virendra N. Mahajan, SPIE Press/2001
- Classical Optics and Its Applications, Masud Mansuripur, Cambridge Univ. Press/2001
- Modern Lens Design, Warren Smith, McGraw-Hill & SPIE Press/2005.
About SPIE
SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering (spie.org) is a not-for-profit technical society with a membership of more than 17,000 optical engineers and scientists. SPIE is dedicated to advancing scientific research and engineering applications of optical, photonic, imaging, and optoelectronic technologies through its meetings, education programs, and publications. Additional Info on SPIE is available on the Society's Website at spie.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.
SPIE Applauds President Bush for Requesting Budget Increases for Basic Research in the Physical Sciences & Engineering at Key Agencies
Bellingham, Washington - 13 February 2006 - SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering, today praised President Bush for his request for increased funding for basic research in the physical sciences and engineering at three key science agencies in his Budget Message to Congress.
Dr. Paul McManamon, 2006 President of SPIE, said that "President Bush's Fiscal Year 2007 budget focuses on increasing funding for basic research for the physical and engineering sciences at three key agencies: the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy's Office of Science, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) - agencies which are in great need of increased funding if the U.S. is to maintain its current level of innovation, competitive strength and a skilled workforce." McManamon added "the President's determination to increase basic research funding comes at a time of severe fiscal restraint - including the elimination of 141 programs and budget cuts for more than 150 federal programs. We are encouraged that the efforts of our community to communicate the need for increased funding have begun to take hold. Not all agencies will receive robust funding - for example, SPIE continues to be concerned about Department of Defense Basic Research (6.1 research) - but it is gratifying that we have finally changed course and are moving forward, not stagnating or declining.
"SPIE is pleased with the President's robust funding and renewed emphasis on science, technology, engineering and mathematics education (STEM Education) as well as tax policies that encourage industry, universities and our national laboratories to innovate as major goals of his presidency."
McManamon concluded, "today's action by the President is one of several recent steps that will help to change 30 years of flat or declining funding in the physical sciences and engineering coupled with the recent introduction of the National Innovation Actand the PACE (Promoting America's Competitive Edge) legislative package in Congress. SPIE is dedicated to helping press for changes at the federal level.
Dr. McManamon is the chief scientist for the Sensors Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, and currently serves as the 2006 SPIE President. Prior to his position with the Air Force Research Laboratory, Dr. McManamon was a senior scientist for Infrared Sensors and acting chief scientist for Avionics.
SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering is a not-for-profit technical society with a membership of more than 17,000 optical engineers and scientists. SPIE is dedicated to advancing scientific research and engineering applications of optical, photonic, imaging, and optoelectronic technologies through its meetings, education programs, and publications.
