IRSC to Host Optics & Photonics Industry Symposium and Community Festival on April 12

March 23, 2023 Suzanne Seldes

FORT PIERCE, FL— More than 100 attendees from industry, academia and government throughout the United States—including leaders from the International Optics and Photonics Society/OPTICA (formerly OSA) and the Center for Optics Manufacturing/AmeriCOM and senior representatives from two national laboratories—will convene at Indian River State College's Massey Campus on Wednesday, April 12, for a discussion of photonics and optics technologies and its worldwide impact on industry sectors such as space exploration, defense, energy, advanced manufacturing, telecommunications, healthcare and testing and measuring.

Acoustic Wave by Stephanie Swartz

The invitation-only symposium, presented in cooperation with LASER-TEC and the Florida Photonics Cluster, will be held from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. in the IRSC Kight Center for Emerging Technologies in Fort Pierce. The impressive speaker line-up includes:

United States Congressman Brian Mast, 21st Congressional District & Co-chair of the Congressional Optics & Photonics Caucus
Dr. Timothy Moore, President, Indian River State College
Dr. Andrew Brown, Senior Director of Global Business Development, International Society for Optics and Photonics
Jay Kumler, President, Jenoptik North America
Dr. Zhi Liao, Workforce Manager, Lawrence Livermore National Lab, National Ignition Facility, California
Dr. Alexey Glebov, General Manager & President, OptiGrate- IPG Photonics
Dr. Ty Olmstead, Vice President for Engineering, Ocean Optics
Albert Miranda, Chief Financial Officer, LightPath Technologies
Natalia Chekhovskaya, Executive Director Advanced Manufacturing and Principal Investigator & Director of the National Center for Lasers and Fiber Optics education, LASER-TEC

"From the National Science Foundation's LASER-TEC center to businesses like Jenoptik, the Treasure Coast is leading the way in optics and photonics," said Congressman Brian Mast. "This is an industry that is shaping the future. I applaud Indian River State College, LASER-TEC and the Florida Photonics Cluster for hosting these critical conversations about the potential of optics and photonics and how to grow the skilled workforce to foster innovation."

A family-friendly Optics & Photonics Community Festival will immediately follow the symposium in the Kight Center Atrium from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. The free, all-ages event will feature hands-on activities, lectures, and tours that illuminate the role of photonics and lasers in everyday life and the future:

Go hands-on in the Maker's Corner and take home a light-inspired craft
Learn how laser fusion can create sustainable energy for our planet
Explore the evolution of telescopes
Take guided tours of IRSC Photonics, High-Power Laser and Quantum Photonics labs
Marvel at "A World of Light," a display of images from artists around the globe
View project displays from students in IRSC's Laser Club
Take a selfie with a giant lens

The IRSC Optics & Photonics Community Festival is made possible with the support of Indian River State College, LASER-TEC, Florida Photonics Cluster and Jenoptik Optical Systems.

For more information about the Symposium or the Festival, email Natalia Chekhovskaya at nchekhov@irsc.edu.