Optica (society)
'Optica (founded as the Optical Society of America; later the Optical Society) is a professional society of individuals and companies with an interest in optics and photonics. It publishes journals, organizes conferences and exhibitions, and carries out charitable activities.
Founded
1916
53-0259696
- Washington, D.C., United States
Worldwide
Professional journals and conferences
22,000
Gerd Leuchs (2024 president)
Michal Lipson (2023 president)
Satoshi Kawata (2022 president)
Stephen D. Fantone (2020 president)
Elizabeth A. Rogan (CEO)
$74,991,615
150
History[edit]
Optica was founded in 1916 as the Optical Society of America, under the leadership of Perley G. Nutting,[3] with 30 optical scientists and instrument makers based in Rochester, New York. It soon published its first journal of research results and established an annual meeting.[4][5] The group's Journal of the Optical Society of America was created in 1918.[5] The first series of joint meetings with the American Physical Society took place in 1918.[5]
In 2008, it changed its name to the Optical Society.[6] In September 2021, the organization's name changed to Optica, in reference to the organization's journal by the same name and geographic neutrality to reflect the society’s global membership.[7]
In 2024, following an employee whistleblower complaint, Bloomberg News reported that the Optica Foundation Challenge was funded entirely by Huawei.[8][9][10] In response, the United States House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology launched a probe and Optica announced that it would no longer accept money from Huawei and return its donations from the company from 2022 onward.[11][12]
