SPIE Announces Public Policy Webinar Series with Monthly Updates and Discussions
BELLINGHAM, Washington, USA — SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics, will present a new series of interactive public policy briefings and discussions led by the organization's Washington, D.C.-based Government Affairs Director Jennifer O'Bryan. This direct line of communication with SPIE will keep the community informed and contribute to shaping the SPIE response and public policy focus during this time of rapid and ongoing changes and challenges.
During each session, O'Bryan and occasional guest experts will present on policy matters of interest to the optics and photonics community. The speakers will be available to answer questions from session participants and further discuss the topics covered.
The first briefing will be held on Tuesday, 7 July, from 11:00-11:40am PT and the agenda will cover the following topics:
• Executive order suspending work and student visas in the United States
• Latest information on Phase 4 stimulus funding in the United States
• Pending authorization bills to significantly expand science funding in the United States
The public policy online series will be hosted on the first Tuesday of every month throughout 2020 and will address both U.S. and international policy issues. All topics will be shaped by current events and input from participants. Constituents are encouraged to comment on what advocacy areas would be particularly beneficial for the community at this time. Ideas for future discussion topics can be sent directly to SPIE.
"I'm very much looking forward to engaging directly with our constituents," said SPIE Government Affairs Director Jennifer O'Bryan. "This online public forum will give SPIE the opportunity to listen to our constituents' concerns and will allow me to share, on a regular basis, the decisions and discussions shaping the policies that directly impact the optics and photonics industry. It is vital that government decisionmakers around the world know the impacts of optics and photonics on our lives and the economy, and it is equally important for the optics and photonics community to understand the impact of policy decisions on our industry."
To participate in the initial briefing on 7 July, register here. Please note that registration grants access to the entire series.
The webinar series is part of SPIE.Online, a new initiative from SPIE to engage with the optics and photonics community in response to the massive shift from in-person to online events. SPIE.Online will offer a series of useful and convenient web-based sessions to help constituents connect with and learn from thought-leaders without traveling. SPIE recognizes that our current circumstances require flexibility and efficiency, yet the need to stay up-to-date, solve problems, and share new ideas has not diminished during the COVID-19 pandemic. SPIE.Online is a growing program with content and opportunities that will engage our community in conversations that span science and technology, business growth, public policy, equity, diversity and inclusion, career development, and personal success.
About SPIE
SPIE is the international society for optics and photonics, an educational not-for-profit organization founded in 1955 to advance light-based science, engineering, and technology. The Society serves more than 255,000 constituents from 183 countries, offering conferences and their published proceedings, continuing education, books, journals, and the SPIE Digital Library. In 2019, SPIE provided more than $5.6 million in community support including scholarships and awards, outreach and advocacy programs, travel grants, public policy, and educational resources. www.spie.org.
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Contact:
Daneet Steffens
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daneets@spie.org
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