The Optics
Donn M. Silberman
The Optics
tel: 949-581-5185, fax:
949-581-0123, e-mail: Donn@oisc.net
Summary. This
paper describes the recent and some
proposed future activities of The Optics Institute of Southern California
(OISC) that has been incorporated as a 501 (c) (3) not for profit corporation
in the State of California by the author and a Board of Directors in a direct
response to the following conditions:
·
The
local education community does not have formal or informal science curriculum
that is organized to teach the basics of optics and photonics technologies.
·
The
local scientific and industrial communities continue to require people at least
knowledgeable and at best fully trained to participate in the continued
development of optics and photonic technologies as they support a broad
spectrum of critical industries including: aerospace, defense and homeland
security, biomedical, telecommunications, transportation, commerce,
entertainment and energy.
As
a result of these conditions, the OISC is acting as a local organizing and
implementing agent to provide services to teachers, educators and trainers who
wish to use developed tools and resources to improve the knowledge and
readiness of students in K-12 and community colleges, and to help small
businesses.
·
Use optics as a vehicle to make science
and technology interesting and accessible to people in
·
Bring optics presentations,
demonstrations and follow-up classroom ‘hands-on’ materials to K-12 Students
and Teachers in
·
Encourage students to include the study
of optics in college and provide paths for them to follow.
·
Provide training for people who work in
companies that use optics in their products and services.
·
Work with
PURPOSE
As clearly stated in the “Optics Education –
A Blueprint for the 21st Century” A project of the Optical Society of America
and SPIE – The International Society for Optical Engineering – December 2001”; there
exists specifically identified barriers to teaching optics in the K-12 grades
and that has created a void in filling the demand for trained people in the
optics industry.
The main purpose of The Optics Institute of
Southern California is to provide a vehicle to break through some of those
barriers and clarify the role of optics in the lives of teachers and students
and create the potential for students to pursue / include optics as part of
their college studies and then career choices.
OISC’s success in this purpose will
benefit the optics industry and its role in many other industries by acting as
a model for others around the world.
This will lead to ensuring that the future demands for trained people in
all levels of the optics industries will be met.