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Increasing the Knowledge of Optics


Date: 10/6/2025
Subject: OSSC Newsletter - October 2025
From: Newsletter Team



OSSC
 
 
 
Images
Newsletter Volume 30, Number 3
October 2025
Table of Contents
  1. From the President
  2. October Meeting
  3. November Meeting
  4. Quantum Technology
  5. Outreach Activities
  6. Join OSSC Leadership Team!
  7. Society News
  8. Optics Education
  9. Attention Students!
  10. OSSC Website Sponsors
  11. OSSC Corporate Members
  12. Welcome New OSSC Members
 
 

From The President
Donn Silberman
Hello OSSC Members and Friends,
 
In this issue we have many missives to let you know about happenings around our Society. We hope you can participate and share your excitement about optics and related technologies. I also hope to see you at an upcoming OSSC meeting or outreach event!
 
You can read my October Letter to the membership.

OSSC Meeting
8 October 2025

What You Should Expect to See from Quantum Computing and When Will It Happen?

 
Doug Finke
Chief Content Officer,
Global Quantum Intelligence
 
Quantum computing is a rapidly evolving field that promises to revolutionize the way we process information. But what is quantum computing? Doug Finke will take on this daunting topic and make it more approachable for us to understand by exploring the basics of quantum computing, its progress, and application.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Doug Finke

OSSC Meeting
12 November 2025

The Science and Development of the
Roman Space Telescope's Coronagraph Instrument


Dr. Vanessa Bailey, Dr. Eric Cady, Dr. Brian Monacelli
Jet Propulsion Laboratory

 
 
 
The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope Coronagraph Instrument (CGI) is a critical technology demonstrator for NASA’s Habitable Worlds Observatory. With a demonstrated visible-light flux ratio detection limit of better than 10-8, it will be capable of directly imaging both gas giant exoplanets and circumstellar disks.

CGI completed its integration and test at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Spring 2024 and is currently undergoing further environmental testing while integrated into the Roman Space Telescope (RST) observatory. The RST is scheduled for launch in 2026.  
This talk will review the coronagraphy science, CGI observing modes and applications, and highlight its optical alignment, integration, and thermal-vacuum test results.
 
Vanessa Bailey is an exoplanet research scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. She is a member of the science team for NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope Coronagraph Instrument and has also been a science team member on several other ground-based high-contrast imaging facilities including the Large Binocular Telescope and the Gemini Telescope. She received her BS from the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities and her PhD from the University of Arizona.
Eric Cady is an optical engineer in the high-contrast imaging group at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the lead for High-order Wavefront Sensing and Control (HOWFSC) on the Coronagraph Instrument (CGI) for the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.  His research interests include coronagraphy, wavefront control systems, and starshades.  He received his B.S. in physics from Caltech in 2005 and a Ph.D. in mechanical and aerospace engineering from Princeton University in 2010.
Brian Monacelli is a principal optical engineer and technical group supervisor at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where he led the optical assembly and alignment of the Coronagraph Instrument for the Roman Space Telescope and the SHERLOC Instrument of the Mars2020 Perseverance Rover, among other optical instruments. He teaches technicians to learn hands-on laboratory skills via the Pasadena City College Laser Technology program. He also serves on the Optics and Electro-Optics Standards Council, where he supports development of optics standards.

Quantum Technology Developments
(Computing, Networking & Sensing)

If you're interested in learning more about quantum technologies and the quantum ecosystem, Doug Fink's Quantum Computing Report is a great resource. Doug will be the featured speaker at the October 2025 OSSC meeting.
 
Other resources for information about Quantum Technologies:
 
QED-C | Enabling the Quantum Ecosystem
 
 
PQN Home | Illinois Quantum Information Science and Technology Center - We are working on bring a version of this to UC Irvine and local libraries.
See details here.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Outreach 
Outreach Steven Dang Diffractive Selfie
Outreach Opportunities

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

Join the OSSC Leadership Team!
We would love for you to join the OSSC Leadership Team! 
 
The Board of Directors and Committees guide our Society through all of our activities including regular monthly meetings, special events, education & outreach, and much more.  Upcoming Board of Director and OSSC Committee meetings are on the home page of the OSSC website and on the Events Calendar
 
All active members are invited and encouraged to join the Leadership Team.
OSSC BOD

Society News
Jenoptik F-Theta Lens
Jenoptik Strengthens Focus with New F-Theta Lens for 3D printing

OSSC Corporate Member Jenoptik developed a new F-theta lens to meet the high-precision an unique requirements required for 3D printing. The F-theta lens plays a key role by focusing the laser beam onto the printing surface with limited diffraction and excellent spot homogeneity.
 

OSSC Holds Its October 2025 Meeting at Samueli Academy
 
The October 2025 meeting of the OSSC will be held at the Samueli Academy in Santa Ana, California where seventeen OSSC Student Members call home.  Attendees who arrive early may take a tour of the school's innovative hands-on learning environment. This unique charter school opened in 2013, offers academic pathways in Engineering and Design, and has been ranked by US News & World Report as "One of the Top High Schools in the Nation" seven years in a row!  Learn More >
Samueli Academy Logo

Final Notes
 
Recently OSSC President Donn Silberman was asked to write an article about the OSSC for another association, as he has been a member for almost 20 years.  He has written some Quantum articles for them in the past and they are all on the QOISC website under the 'Articles' dropdown menu.  This new article starts off with our "Aim & Purpose"; and can be found on the OSSC | QOISC webpage.
 
Donn hopes you enjoy the article and near the end you can read a very brief mention about a new IMAX documentary he is developing with Macgillivray Freeman Films.
 
We are always seeking news to publish from our members.  Please send your news to Bob Cartland at Newsletter@ossc.org.


Optics Education
      UC Irvine Optical & PCC Laser Tech      
UCI 10 Years
PCC Laser Tech Program
Learn more about professional education opportunities on the OSSC website.

Attention Students
Student Membership
Students Members receive a meal discount at our regular meetings. If you qualify as a Student Member but do not see the discount, your membership probably needs to be updated.  Please contact Memberships to have your membership changed to Student Member before registering for the next meeting.
 
Student Members are Individual Members who are currently enrolled in school at least part-time and are not working full-time.

Website Sponsors
Aerotech
AMP Optics
AOM
Apre Instruments
Diverse Optics
Golden Gate Light Optimization
Knobbe Martens
MKS Newport
OptoSigma
TEMPO
Zygo
4D Technologies

Corporate Members

4D Technology
Aerotech
AMP Optics
Applied Optics
Äpre Instruments
Arizona Optical Metrology
Bell Collaborative
Diverse Optics
DKA Design LLC
Ecoclean Inc
Egorov Scientific
Golden Gate Light Optimization
Guernsey Coating Laboratories
Guiding Photonics
Isuzu Glass
Jenoptik Optical Systems
Knobbe Martens
Matter Intelligence Inc

Micro Laser Systems
MKS Instruments
 Ohara Corporation
Optical Engineering & Analysis
Opto Sigma Corporation
Photodigm, Inc
PINC Technologies Inc
Quartus Engineering
Raytheon SAS
Reynard Corporation
Samueli Academy
Spectrum Scientific
Supply Chain Optics
Taylor Hobson Inc
Tempo Plastic Company
Thorlabs
Vital Link
Zygo Corp


Welcome New Members
Sophie Aguilera
Omar Alvarado
Sam N Banerjea
Salma Bejaoui
Stephen Browne
James Carriere
Keyla Chavez
Mitchell D Conn
Anthony De La Cruz
Gabriel Delao
Brandon I Esebag
Sebastian Essien
Doug Finke
Andrew Froning
Aidan Garcia
David R Gonzalez
Scott Griffin
Urcan Guler
Leslie Heid
Lizbeth Holguin
Srinath Karat
Wesley Kendall
Sze Cheung Lau
Jonathan Leitner
Hongye Lin
Derek Madrid
Joe Martinez
Daniel Molina
Daniel Moreno
Richie Nagi
Michael Newell
Marissa Numic
Rishi Pahuja
David Perez
Mitchelle Ramirez
Hunter Riley
Isaac Sanchez
Joel Sercel
Kadin Severs
Owen A Sheetz
Parminder Singh
Matthew Tisbe
Annie Tran
Blair L Unger
Edwin Valdez
Briseis Veliz
Chelsea Zonick
We value your membership and appreciate your support!

Optical Society of Southern California
www.ossc.org
Box 228, 2312 Park Avenue
Tustin, California 92782

Box 228, 2312 Park Avenue

Tustin, California 92782



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