OSA launches laser anniversary video to commemorate 50 years of laser innovation
Washington, DC--The Optical Society (OSA) announced the release of the video Lasers: Transforming Life, a special anniversary video highlighting the importance of lasers and laser technology. The video is being distributed as part of LaserFest, the science community’s year-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of the first laser. See also, "VIDEO: Jeff Hecht recalls 50 years of laser technology."
Told in a compelling, yet easy-to-understand manner, Lasers: Transforming Life features an overview of how lasers play a role in everyday technologies, such as the Internet and laser surgery, and highlights laser research that may lead to future clean energy sources or help understand such mysteries as black holes. NPR host Ira Flatow is featured, along with video from NASA, DARPA, and IBM, among others.
"OSA created Lasers: Transforming Life as a way to educate the general public about the importance of lasers," said Beth T. Hampton, OSA’s chief marketing officer. "Lasers have truly transformed the way we live today--from fiber optics to computerized medical records. Yet even more exciting uses in the areas of alternative energy, medicine and basic research are on the horizon. We believe this video captures the excitement of this technology in a fitting tribute to the 50th anniversary of the laser."
Lasers: Transforming Life is publicly available on the LaserFest Web site at www.laserfest.org/lasers/video-life.cfm. Complimentary DVD copies for use in educational settings are available by contacting OSA at [email protected].
Gail Overton | Senior Editor (2004-2020)
Gail has more than 30 years of engineering, marketing, product management, and editorial experience in the photonics and optical communications industry. Before joining the staff at Laser Focus World in 2004, she held many product management and product marketing roles in the fiber-optics industry, most notably at Hughes (El Segundo, CA), GTE Labs (Waltham, MA), Corning (Corning, NY), Photon Kinetics (Beaverton, OR), and Newport Corporation (Irvine, CA). During her marketing career, Gail published articles in WDM Solutions and Sensors magazine and traveled internationally to conduct product and sales training. Gail received her BS degree in physics, with an emphasis in optics, from San Diego State University in San Diego, CA in May 1986.