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OPTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA INC ROCHESTER SECTION

ONTARIO, NY · EIN 272031788 · Form 990EZ · FY2020 · NTEE P20 · Human Services · Micro (<$100K) · osarochester.org
revenue
$24K
expenses
$9K
net assets
$62K
employees
mission · from form 990

SEE STATEMENT IN SCHEDULE 0

profile · synthesized from sources

Local section of OPTICA (formerly OSA) based in Rochester, NY, focused on advancing optics and photonics through technical talks, industry events, and community outreach. The organization hosts speaker series, annual meetings, and educational activities that connect professionals, researchers, and students in the optics community. It supports professional development and public engagement in optical science and engineering.

named programs · 6 · from sources

What they call their work

Annual Dinner Meeting
Yearly gathering of members and professionals to celebrate achievements and developments in the optics community
Family Night at the Institute of Optics
Community event introducing optics concepts to families and children through hands-on activities
Luminate Finals
Event showcasing optics and photonics startups and innovations, part of a regional accelerator program
Optics Outreach at Lilac Festival
Public engagement event to promote optics education and inspire interest in STEM fields
ROC Optica Speaker Series
Monthly technical talks featuring experts from academia, industry, and research institutions in optics and photonics
Steve Jacobs Memorial Talk
Annual lecture honoring contributions to optical science and engineering
activities · 5 groups

What they do

  • Professional Networking Events 3 activities
    • Host annual memorial talk honoring Stephen D. Jacobs
      Presents an annual memorial talk in honor of Stephen D. Jacobs to highlight recent advancements and contributions in the field of optics.
    • Host networking and community-building events for optics professionals
      Facilitates professional networking through events such as an annual spring dinner and an annual dinner meeting for members and stakeholders in the optics community.
    • Organize tours and site visits to local optics and photonics facilities
      Arranges tours of local manufacturing and research facilities to connect members with practical applications and innovations in optics and photonics.
  • Local High School Scholarship Programs 1 activity
    • Award scholarships to students in optics and related fields
      Funds the Bob Novak Scholarship for a student in the Optical Systems Technology program at Monroe Community College and provides additional scholarships to promising students in optics and related disciplines.
  • Public Awareness and Educational Outreach 1 activity
    • Conduct public outreach and community engagement in optics
      Engages the broader public through optics-related activities at festivals, family-oriented educational events, and participation in initiatives like the Luminate Finals to promote awareness and interest in optics.
  • Hands-On STEM Education Programs 1 activity
    • Deliver hands-on optics education through mobile outreach tools
      Conducts educational outreach using an "optics suitcase" to provide interactive, hands-on learning experiences in optics for students and the public.
  • Scientific Conference & Symposium Management 1 activity
    • Host technical presentations and speaker series for the optics community
      Organizes regular Tuesday evening technical presentations and a broader speaker series featuring scientists, educators, and professionals from industry and academia, open to the community.
financials · form 990EZ · fy2020
revenue
Total revenue$24K
Contributions & grants$1K5%
Program service revenue$18K76%
Investment income$50%
Other revenue
expenses
Total expenses$9K
Program expenses
Admin / overhead
Fundraising
Salaries & benefits
Grants paid out
balance sheet
Total assets$62K
Cash
Investments
Liabilities
Net assets$62K
1 years on record · 2020–2020
relationships · 6

Who they work with

  • Luminate Partner — Supports or participates in Luminate Finals and Technical Talks focused on photonics innovation.
  • Monroe Community College Partner — Collaborates with Monroe Community College to identify and support students in the Optical Systems Technology program.
  • RIT Partner — Collaborates on joint speaker events and participates in student-focused optics programming.
  • SPIE Partner — Collaborates with SPIE on optics outreach activities at the Rochester Lilac Festival.
  • TOPTICA Photonics Partner — Hosts or participates in corporate sponsor open house events with OPTICA Rochester Section.
  • University of Rochester Partner — Co-hosts events such as Family Night at the Institute of Optics and speaker series talks.
strategies · 4

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Community Science Outreach for Public Engagement
    methodology: community_science_outreach
    By delivering hands-on optics activities at community events, we increase public interest and understanding of optical science, because experiential learning sparks curiosity and demystifies STEM for diverse audiences.
  • Professional Community Engagement as a Learning Engine
    methodology: professional-community-engagement
    By creating forums for idea exchange across career stages, we foster professional and educational growth in optics, because inclusive, cross-generational collaboration strengthens mentorship, retention, and innovation within the field.
  • Technical Knowledge Sharing to Advance the Field
    methodology: technical_knowledge_sharing
    By hosting technical talks from industry and academic experts, we accelerate innovation and skill development in optics, because access to cutting-edge research and practice strengthens the collective expertise of the community.
  • Workforce Development through Scholarships
    methodology: workforce-development-through-scholarships
    By providing scholarships to students in optics-related fields, we increase workforce development and diversity in the optics industry, because financial and academic support lowers barriers to entry and encourages underrepresented groups to pursue and persist in these careers.