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Outreach

Dr. Murty Mantravadi demonstrates his Optricks!

Children play with home made telescopes.

Outreach volunteers engage in a variety of optics-related, hands-on, activities and demonstrations at schools, museums, county fairs and other family-friendly events. OSSC Outreach can be done anywhere by any OSSC member or non-member volunteer.

If you have an idea for an outrach actvitiy or would like to volunteer, please contact the OSSC Outreach Chair.

Outreach Opportunites

The OSSC seeks volunters for upcoming events being organized by our friends at Vital Link and The Girl Scouts of Orange County. Please contact the Outreach Chair if you are interested.

We would love your help!

Vital Link

Vital Link is dedicated to preparing students for their future careers through experiential hands-on learning opportunities in the world of robotics, engineering, manufacturing, healthcare and medical, computer programming, digital media arts, automotive technology and more.

OSSC Fellows Donn Silberman and Bo Wang have volunteered with Vital Link for many years sharing thier knowledge of optics and realted fields.

Volunteer for Vital Link Programs in Orange County

Upcoming Vital Link Events

College & Career Events

Empowering Futures 2024

Saturday September 21, 2024

OSSC Members are Invited

Last December, Vital Link co-hosted a special workshop on apprenticeships. You can see the slides by clicking on the image below.

Quantum Optics Education

For two decades the OSSC and the OISC (Optics Institute of Southern California) have partnered to provide Southern California optics and photonics education events, activities, and programs. The OISC has been reimagined as the QOISC (Quantum Optics Institute of Southern California) to focus on the exciting new efforts in quantum computing and related technologies.

Quantum Optics Education Resources

Oral Presentation - Donn Silberman

Quantum education and pathways: an open-source modifiable presentation to high school and college students

22 August 2022·11:30 AM - 11:50 AM |

SPIE Optical Engineering Journal: Special Section on Quantum Education

Quantum technician skills and competencies for the emerging Quantum 2.0 industry

Mo Hasanovic; Chrys Panayiotou; Donn Silberman; Paul Stimers; Celia Merzbacher

OE Vol. 61 Issue 08

Education & Outreach Resources

Past Outreach Events

Outreach Photo Albums More Photos

Homemade Integrating Sphere

Children study the LED integrating sphere designed and fabricated out of a spherical cake pan by Mark Helmlinger. LED Integrating Spheres, fabricated by Mark, are available from the OSSC at a nominal cost. You can also build your own integrating sphere.

More Educational Resources

Award Winning Laser Graffiti Video
by
UC Irvine Optica & SPIE Student Chapter
(Formarly UC Irvine OSA Student Chapter)

Interview with Desiré Whitmore, PhD
About Careers in Optics

OSSC Educational Materials

Outreach Supporters

OSSC outreach efforts are supported by our members and by generous grants from the following organizations.