Rochester
Optifab Continues to Gain Traction
May 14-17
Rochester Riverside Convention Center
The only conference/exhibit of its type in the U.S., Optifab is uniquely
positioned to attract high-end precision optical manufacturers, their
suppliers, and the customer base that stands to benefit from this extraordinary
supply chain.
158 exhibitors are now registered, and it appears that Optifab will
reach the conference goal of 200 exhibitors if the returning
exhibitors and other stakeholders continue to encourage participation
among industry colleagues.
The focus of the conference is:
- Optical fabrication equipment
- Optical components, materials, and systems
- Optomechanical components and devices
- Laser system components
- Optical thin film coating
- Optical metrology and testing equipment
- Clean room equipment
- Software, adhesives, glass, and consumables
Commercial presentation opportunities are available for covering leading
edge manufacturing and testing products with an emphasis on aspheric fabrication
and testing. Jay Kumler of Coastal Optics is your contact for the technical
conference and for the Commercial Presentation opportunities at (561)
881-7400 ext. 114.
Once again this year APOMA and RRPC will host a Tuesday night reception
featuring Rochester's own Nik & the Nice Guys. Please help by sponsoring
this event and letting attendees and exhibitors alike know that Rochester
is North America's home for Optics, Photonics and Optical Fabrication.
Contact Rick Rivers at 585-586-6906.
Become an exhibitor by going here.
Call for Entrepreneurs
The 2007 SmartStart & UNYTECH Venture
Forum is a combined event of the SmartStart Venture Forum, a forum for
venture-ready companies interested in getting their company in front of
interested venture funds, and the UNYTECH Forum for university spin-out
companies to showcase their technologies and attract investment partners.
This unique event displays the very best early-stage companies from throughout
the entire state of New York. Venture capital funds, seed investment funds
and angel groups and investors can meet with and learn more about these
company's teams, technologies and plans for succeeding in the marketplace.
Additionally, experienced entrepreneurs are exposed to upcoming companies
for their potential involvement, and many of the venture company service
providers will also be on hand at this showcase event.
Forty-four of the 122 companies that have presented have received funding
directly attributable to SmartStart, totalling approximately 57 million.
Nanocrystal Imaging
Filters Target Dominant Market Player
Semrock, Inc., the leading manufacturer of high-performance optical filters
for the Biotech and Analytical Instrumentation markets, announced single-band
fluorescence filter sets optimized for the most popular quantum dot nanocrystals.
Three of these new filter sets are ideal for brilliant multi-color imaging
or quantitation with the most highly utilized Qdot 525, 605, and 655 Nanocrystals
by Molecular Probes (Invitrogen Detection Technologies). A fourth filter
set utilizes a special long-pass emission filter to allow simultaneous
viewing of multi-labeled samples by eye or with a color camera, thus taking
advantage of the common blue excitation and narrow, specific visible emission
spectral properties of Qdot nanocrystals.
Qdot fluorescence labeling products exhibit revolutionary imaging performance
that comes from their robust nanocrystal structure combined with a customizable
surface for a wide range of biological applications. These labels are
extremely bright and highly photostable, making them ideal for applications
that require high sensitivity with minimal label interference and long-term
photostability, such as live-cell imaging and dynamic studies. “The
pairing of high-performance ‘no burn-out’ BrightLine fluorescence
filters with quantum dot nanocrystals—also known for their brightness
and longevity—is a natural,” said Semrock’s CTO, Dr.
Turan Erdogan.
What are nanocrystals
and what are their applications?
Date for Benefit Tourney Set
Save the date!!!
Details for the 7th annual WNY Optics Photonics  Golf
Tournament to benefit The Golisano Children’s Hospital at Strong
will be sent out soon. The tourney will be held this year on Thursday,
July 19th at Shadow Lake and Shadow Pines golf courses. To date, the tournament
has raised $27,000.00 in proceeds for the hospital. This tournament has
grown to be the largest optics networking event of the year with an average
of 75-80 companies and 300 people participating at various levels. Don’t
miss out on the annual fun fest and get together with your friends in
the photonics industry. It is not a requirement that you know how to golf:
ask Jim Sydor... even the participants who think that they can golf...
well we won’t mention any names.
The tournament has grown to attract companies and participants from as
far away as Japan! We encourage all of our RRPC and NY Photonics members
to spread the word and get your customers and vendors out and participate
this year.
To accommodate the growing attendance, we encourage you to get your
registrations in as soon as possible. Dinner will be held at Shadow Pines
this year. The cost of golf and dinner will be $100.00 per person.
Either event is available individually at $70.00 per person.
If you would like to volunteer this year or if your not on the our mailing
list, please contact Ron or Diane Schulmerich at wnyoptics[at]rochester.rr.com
or at 585-663-7230.
We look forward to seeing you there this year!!
Defense & Security Conference, Orlando
 RRPC
and New York Photonics will have a booth at the D&S Conference in
April. We are able to have your literature on display for a $150 fee.
If you plan on attending the conference and want to help staff the booth,
call Tom Battley at 585.329.4029.
Events
Tuesday, April 24th OSA Annual
Dinner
Crescent Beach Hotel, Rochester, NY
Event
Flyer
Defense and Security Symposium
9 - 13 April 2007
Orlando, Florida USA
Exhibition
International Resource Group
Luncheon
"Doing Business in Peru, Chile and Mexico"
24 April, 2007
Strathallan Hotel
Program
CLEO /QELS & PhAST 07
6 - 11 May 2007
Baltimore, Maryland
Cleo Conference / PhAST
Conference
OptiFab
14 - 17 May 2007
Rochester, New York USA
Exhibition
SmartStart Venture Forum
May 22 - 23, 2007
Albany Marriott, Albany, New York
Program
Photonics North (co-located
with Education and Training in Optics & Photonics)
3 -7 June 2007
Ottowa, Ontario, Canada
Conference
(Photonics North)
Conference (Education & Training)
Ninth Rochester Conference
on Coherence and Quantum Optics (CQO-9)
June 10 – 13, 2007
University of Rochester
Rochester, New York
Conference
International Conference
on Quantum Information (ICQI)
June 13 -15, 2007
University of Rochester
Rochester, New York
Conference
MD&M East
12 -14 June, 2007
Jacob K. Javitz Convention Center
New York, New York USA
Exhibition
46th Annual Summer Course
Series
University of Rochester Institute of Optics
18-29 June 2007
Rochester, New York USA
Program
Frontiers in Optics 2007
16 - 20 September, 2007
San Jose, California
Conference
OFC/NFOEC 2008
February 24-28, 2008
San Diego Convention Center
Conference
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RRPC Annual Meeting
RRPC First Group Hosted in New Facility
Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks introduced the proceedings at RRPC's
Ninth Annual Meeting on March 22nd at the Robert B. Goergen Building for
Biomedical Engineering and Optics on the University of Rochester Campus.
Brooks highlighted the importance of Optics and Photonics to the region's
future and gave numerous examples of how Monroe County's Economic Development
Office has assisted Cluster Member-companies as they have grown.
Both Brooks and RRPC Executive Director, Tom Battley noted that while
front page stories have emphasized dwindling manufacturing job numbers,
nearly every firm in the RRPC has added jobs year-over-year during the
past several years.
Battley's remarks emphasized progress by RRPC in areas such as industry
promotion and company collaboration. He also noted the recent survey which
suggests that an aging workforce, combined with a shortage of younger
workers entering the field represents the greatest threat to the region's
optics, photonics and imaging companies.
Michael Mandina, President of Optimax, gave a succinct presentation
of global, national and regional data that reinforced the workforce message
and called for immediate action through a formal RPPC Comittee.
Battley also called for collaboration by the region's economic development
stakeholders on tactics and funding for RRPC priority efforts.
One of those efforts, dubbed "The Optics Express," was the
focus of remarks by Institute of Optics Director, Wayne Knox. Knox asserted
that a "Bookmobile-style" rolling optics laboratory can play
a powerful role in a comprehensive public-relations effort, one that will
generate greater interest in optics and optics careers and at the same
time highlight the importance of Optics to the region's economy. (See
Richard Glaser's essay below.)
Concluding the list of speakers was Kevin Parker, Dean of the University's
Engineering Department who gave an overview of the University's Optics
Department, its history, and the immense market and economic development
potential for ideas generated at the new Center for Biomedical Engineering
and Optics.
If you missed the meeting you can download the presentations by clicking
here.
VC Corner
The Magic Bus
I attended my first RRPC annual meeting recently. Comfortably ensconced
in the new Goergen Hall (a.k.a. the Biomedical Engineering & Optics
Building), I had the opportunity to admire the joint effort by the university,
community and alumni to erect the $37 million facility. Wayne Knox entertained
us with a dizzying time-elapse slide presentation documenting the building’s
construction. For those who weren’t there, sit on a swivel chair,
turn around a couple of dozen times and you will come close to feeling
the vertigo we did.
It has often struck me how peculiar academics are about real estate,
whether it is office location or parking spaces. It seems like every new
university dean and president wants to raise money for a new building.
My reaction is probably due to the aversion I share with most entrepreneurs
towards spending money on real estate (i.e., rent) that can be used for
other purposes, like building the business.
In this instance, I left the RRPC meeting with a different conclusion.
I felt elated and emboldened about Rochester’s future. The new facility
is a testament to the vitality and promise of our optics community.
The Institute of Optics is a world leader and innovator by leveraging
the university’s core competencies in computer science, optics,
physics, engineering and medicine. New companies like Virtualscopics and
iCardiac, to name a few, are signs of profound change afoot. U of R is
getting into the routine of spawning commercially viable businesses. There
is nothing like success to breed even more success. An ecosystem that
includes researchers, businessmen and venture capitalists, among others,
becomes sustainable and can grow into something far more significant.
Entrepreneurs like Mike Mandina (Optimax) and Jim Sydor (Sydor Optics)
are engaged with RRPC, the university and other community organizations
to address the needs for skilled workers. Their personal experience has
led them to conclude workforce development must be a priority. There isn’t
any blame leveled nor requests for government hand outs. There are no
veiled threats about relocating. These guys are proactive, soliciting
the support of the community, generating ideas to solve their problem,
and contributing their time and money.
For the encore, while conscious of being surrounded by some of the best
trained engineers and PhDs in the world, Wayne Knox introduced his proposal
to create the optics community’s version of a “bookmobile”
or, as I prefer to call it, the “Magic Bus.” Wayne wants to
launch a traveling display that will visit schools to educate and excite
kids about the wonders of optics. He envisions multiple displays housed
in a mobile unit supported by graduate students, regional companies and
government agencies. Given Wayne’s success as the driving force
behind Goergen Hall, I will bet on Wayne.
In the spirit of inspiring our future entrepreneurs, I am willing to
suggest another innovative idea: the “Magic Bus” should have
an exhibit about the convergence of optics and entrepreneurship in Rochester.
I am willing to make a financial contribution as a “lead investor,”
subject to sufficient support by others. Let’s recognize our accomplishments
and help inspire the new generation of entrepreneurs to lead our community
forward.
Richard A. Glaser is a financial advisor
at a major securities firm. You can send him email here.
NASA Glenn Solicitation
NASA: Glenn Research Center, Office of Procurement - Research Contract
Synopsis Solicitation 01 includes the following:
Optical Instrumentation and Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE):
The objective is to conduct research to develop novel measurement capabilities
and advanced data processing for aerospace flight and ground testing and
to design advanced photonic systems for space exploration. Emphasis is
on developing diagnostic methods and other flow imaging techniques; NDE
technologies; rotor dynamic systems for structural health monitoring;
and optics and electronics hardware for space applications.
Specific areas of interest include:
- Planar optical diagnostics for flow field measurements and optical
systems build up
- Integration of NDE and Finite element modeling and image visualization
- Development of acoustics, tomography and radiography sciences and
facilities operations
- Propulsion health monitoring system development and instrumentation
- Firmware and software for electronic platforms in harsh environments
- Structural health monitoring theory and physics based modeling
Proposals due by April 30, 2007. Go here
to learn more.
OSA Annual Dinner
The Annual Dinner for the Rochester Section of the Optical Society of
America is scheduled for April 24th.
Beginning with cocktails, networking and dinner, the 8:00 p.m. presentation
will be "Mars Rover: the Latest from Spirit and Opportunity"
by Kjartan Kinch of Cornell University. Kinch works as Panoramic Camera
Payload Downlink Lead on the Rover Program.
SBIR National Conference
SBIR/STTR Event To Be Held in Research Triangle Park
The Hotel block
for the SBIR
National Conference expires THIS Friday, April 6th. Take advantage
of the conference facility's hotel at the conference rate of $110. After
Friday, this rate is no longer available.
This year conference attendees will be offered flexible multi-track sessions
in order to select topics of highest relevance to the current state of
their business. For newcomers to the SBIR/STTR programs, attendees will
learn how to apply and win some of the $2.2 billion in Federal grants
and contracts. For those who have reached the Phase 1 funding milestone,
learning will focus on how to stay on track for success and achieve next
level funding. For the multiple award winner, details on moving to full
commercial operation will cover procurement, business development, technology
and financing.
New Director at SUNY CAT
Dr. Harry Gafney has been appointed Director of the Center for Advanced
Technology in Photonics Applications at the City University of New York
(CUNY CAT). Dr. Gafney is Professor of Chemistry at Queens College, and
has been a senior faculty member in the CUNY CAT since its inception in
1993. He was appointed to replace Dr. Robert R. Alfano, who stepped down
as CUNY CAT Director effective December 1, 2006.
The CUNY CAT develops and disseminates knowledge in photonics technology
to promote New York State economic development for the medical, biological,
industrial, homeland defense and military sectors. The CUNY CAT is supported
by the New York State Office of Science, Technology and Academic Research
(NYSTAR).
Contact RRPC
New York Photonics and the Rochester Regional Photonics
Cluster are active and growing collaborative organizations. Efforts are
under way on joint training events, workforce development, collaborative
advertising opportunities, promoting the commercialization of I.P., and
the development of our website to further facillitate business development.
Join us! There are advantages to working together, and
we are interested in working with you. Send an email to us at membership@rrpc-ny.org.
To subscribe, to unsubscribe, to submit a news item or upcoming event,
to suggest a feature or column, or to offer feedback, contact Tom
Battley, at 585-329-4029.
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