Uniting the Southern California Optics Community

Since 1951, the Optical Society of Southern California has been your Southern California local section of Optica founded to increase and disseminate the knowledge of optics and closely allied sciences. The Society meets monthly from September through June (except December) and also organizes regular family-friendly outreach events.

Members Enjoy:

Meal Discounts at most of our regular meetings
Access to our on-line Membership Directory of Optics and Photonics Professionals
Access to dozens of videos and recorded webinars of OSSC Speakers dating back to 2017
Access to over two decades of presentation documents featuring eminent speakers from the optics community
Access to over 200 Issues of the OSSC Images Newsletter dating back to 1998
Opportunities to join our Leadership Team.

Join Today!

Already a member? Visit our Member Portal to access exclusive member only content.

11 September 2024 OSSC Meeting,

Awards & Technical Presentation

Meeting Registration & Details

Download & Post Flyer

STUDENT MEMBER DISCOUNT: Starting in August, 2024, students must update their membership type to Student Member, in order to receive the meal discount at our meetings. Student Members are Individual Members who are currently enrolled in school at least part-time and are not working full-time.

Please email the Membership Chair before registering for the meeting to update your membership type.

Outreach

Outreach Opportunities

The OSSC seeks volunteers 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!

More OSSC Outreach Information

Support the Future of Optics - SPIE Summer Night Jam

Society News

New OSSC Fellows

OSSC Members Elevated to Fellow

Nicholas Croglio

David Hasenauer

Brian Monacelli

Russell Rauch

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Thank you all for your years of service to the OSSC and the greater optics community

Join us in celebrating their formal elevation to Fellow at our September. 11, 2024, meeting.

Member Portal

OSSC Networking Event

OSSC members may now access member only content on one convenient page - our new Member Portal. Member only content includes: meeting presentations, recordings of our meetings, our on-line Membership Directory, and the Images Newsletter archive.

Members of the Optical Society of Southern California also enjoy dinner discounts at most of our regular meetings!

Member Portal

Please join or renew today!

In Memoriam

Murty V. Mantravadi

1929 - 2024

Murty V. Mantravadi, Optica & OSSC Fellow and educator, passed away on 24 April 2024 at the age of 94. He was most known for his research in optical testing, interferometry, diffraction, spectrometers, and optical devices. Most notably, he originated the shear plate testing method that would check for light wave distortion and make parallel or align the light rays of a laser beam.

Full Article

Visit our In Memoriam page to read about other losses to the OSSC family.

More Society News

OSSC Images Newsletter

The OSSC Newsletter, Images, includes Society news, events, technical articles, and the occasional optrick (optical illusions and other ways to have fun with light).

Over the decades, the Newsletter has evolved from a print edition, to a downloadable pdf, and is currently an email Newsletter.

Recent email newsletters are viewable here.

OSSC members may access over 200 pdf editions in our Members Only Newsletter Archive.

If you have a short article you would like to contribute to the newsletter, please email the editor at Newsletter@ossc.org. Corporate Members are encouraged to submit profiles, news, workshops or other events.

OSSC Leadership Team Activities

The OSSC Leadership Team held their annual summer meeting on July 9 to plan for the new active period beginning in September. The Leadership Team would would love your help! Contact OSSC President Nicholas Croglio to discuss how we can best put your talent, interests, and skills to use.

The team also met on July 31 to brainstorm speakers and events for the 2024-2025 active period. If you have an idea for a speaker, meeting location, or event activity, please contact OSSC Programs Chair Kenn Bates.

On August 15, the Website & Communications Team met to discuss current website and communications improvement projects. If you would like to help please contact OSSC Webmaster Bob Cartland or OSSC Communications Chair Cecily Brown.

Learn More

Professional Education Opportunities

UC Irvine

Part-Time Instructor: Optical Engineering and Optical Instrument Design

Fall 2024 registration now open.
Courses begin in Late September.

Introduction to Lens Design
Optical Systems Engineering
Vibration Control for Optomechanical Systems

The above courses are part of Certificate Programs in:
Optical Engineering & Optical Instrument Design

Additional Information

Pasadena City College

Laser Technology Program

Students completing the program in Laser Technology will learn the scientific principles of optics, fiber-optics, and lasers. Laser and Photonics Technology instructors lead hands-on, laboratory-driven classes, utilizing state-of-the-art industrial equipment, based on the industry-guided photonics curricula written by industry professionals. In addition to laboratory skills, students are offered one-on-one support and career advice, including résumé and LinkedIn profile building.

Registration for Fall 2024 will be open during the summer.

Quality Assurance of Precision Optics

will be taught in Fall 2024

Additional Information Contact:

Prof. Brian Monacelli, Ph. D.

For more Information about local professional education opportunities visit our:

Professional Education Page