CFO gathers to unify optics community

17 Jun 2002

The Coalition for Optics (CFO) met at the SPIE Annual Meeting this month in an effort to bring together the leadership of U.S.-based societies, associations, and clusters. CFO members examined a variety of issues and discussed what can be done through joint or coordinated action to promote the interests of the optics community.

The CFO is led by the leading six societies in optics-- SPIE, OSA, LIA, LEOS, IS&T;, and SID-- as well as two manufacturers' associations-- LEOMA and APOMA. ICO and OIDA have also asked to be included as observers and several other organizations have asked for information about participation. Duncan Moore (Univ. of Rochester), Don Scifres (SDL), and Jim Pearson (SPIE) were elected CFO chair, vice-chair, and secretary, respectively.

The group meets again in November at Photonics East in Boston.