Light Moments

The 1971 OSA conference, held at Old Tucson (see The Optical Society Goes West, Again) was probably the first time 'lenslets' were presented to the optics community. Lenslets are still a cornerstone of wavefront sensing, and the story of how Roland Shack and Ben Platt made them is a testament to their ingenuity and scrappiness.

Forty-three years ago, the Optical Society (OSA) held their meeting at the Ramada Inn Tucson West. Over 700 attendees gathered in the Old Pueblo and enjoyed some Western hospitality, including an informal dinner and show at Old Tucson.

A Light Moment that pays tribute to a man who made a huge visual impact on OSC: Don Cowen, OSC scientific illustrator, artist and sculptor.

When it came to keeping the lab in order, Ross Potoff would let nothing stand in his way, no matter how difficult.

A lyrical recounting of the College of Optical Science's 50 years, by Professor Emeritus Jack D. Gaskill.

Professor Emeritus H. Angus Macleod and his wife, Ann, were supposed to be greeted with bagpipes when they first arrived in Tucson. But it didn't quite go as planned.

An inside look at the alter egos of OSC's esteemed professors, uncovered in 2006 by two dedicated graduating B.S. students.

Stephen F. Jacobs explains how he began to experiment with folding along a curve, and how it led to beautiful sculptures.

"James Wyant recounts the "OSC Saguaro Race of 1977" and the wager it inspired to beat the duo of Slater & Wyant with a 10-man faculty relay team.

Most are familiar with the proverb, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade." But what if life gives you 46,000 useless computer punch cards? Make a turkey, of course!