Milton Laikin was unanimously elected a Fellow by the OSSC Board of Directors at the February, 2001 meeting.  He was presented with a special gold badge identifying him as an OSSC Fellow and Past President in 1972-73.  He was Vice President in 1971-72, and Secretary in 1963-64.  Laikin taught optics at UCLA in the late 1960's and early 1970's.  He holds 4 patents and has 22 publications, plus he wrote the book: "LENS DESIGN", published by Marcel Dekker, NY (revised in 1995).  Milt also wrote an interesting novel, "FRANK", based on the life of his Uncle, published by Rutledge Books, Inc. of Danbury, Connecticut in 1998.  But the "capper" was that Milton Laikin is the ONLY person to have been OSSC Programs Chairman TWICE (1970-71 AND 1981-82)!!

In December 1967, Milt started Laikin Optical Corporation as a firm specializing in optical design and consulting services.  Over the years, many optical designs were developed and fabricated, including: undersea video lens systems, consumer optical devices ( plastic Gallean binocular, plastic magnifiers, door viewers, etc.), periscope lenses for special effects cinematography, very wide angle camera and projection lenses, projection lenses for 70 mm cinematography, radiation resistant lenses, military IR systems, camera lenses, and laser lens systems.  Laikin designed and fabricated a special effects optical system used on Paramount's original Star Trek movie for which he received a screen credit and was then admitted to the Academy of Motion Pictures.  In addition to OSSC, Milt is a member of OSA and the SPIE.

Milton Laikin was born in Brooklyn New York on January 6,1930.  He attended Maryland University, College Park, Maryland from 1948 to 1952, earning a B.S. in physics.  After studying physics for a year at George Washington University, Washington, DC, Milt was drafted into the Army.  While in the service, he got married.  In 1955, he went to work at Bausch & Lomb, and began studying at the University of Rochester, Rochester, NY Milt was awarded an MS in Optics in 1957, then moved to California and went to work for Autonetics Division of North American Aviation in Downey.  He worked briefly at Herron Optical, Pacific Optical, and Korad OES in Pasadena, before starting his own firm. 

Milton Laikin is now partially retired and an avid tennis player.  He has two children and three granddaughters.  Milt can be contacted at Laikin Optical Corporation, 4314 Marina City Drive #930, Marina Del Rey, California 90292.  By phone and fax at: (310)823.6219, or by email: miltonLOC@aol.com.  See also http://www.laikin.com.