New England Section of the Optical Society of America

The NES/OSA won a SPIE Education and Outreach Grant to support our efforts. The grant will support equipment updates for the Optics Suitcases and a proposed event at Blue Hills Observatory.

The NES/OSA attended the Massachusetts State Middle School Science & Engineering Fair at Worcester Technical High School on June 6th , 2009. The NES/OSA has been supporting this event for 7 years with money for operations and awards with the assistance of an OSA activity grant. This year’s fair featured an Expo for contributing organizations. Local members Bruce Irving, Aziz Mahfoud-Familia, Mark Hutcheson, Barbara Darnell and Groot Gregory provided Optics Demonstrations during the lunch hour Expo. The hands on demonstrations included polarization, fluorescence, refraction and laser communication. The giant kaleidoscope again was a big hit with younger kids and parents. In addition to the demonstrations, SPIE career CDs and SPIE/OSA posters were given to teachers, parents and students.

On 25 April the Cambridge Science Festival kicks off with an exciting Science Carnival. The Optics community will be well represented by SPIE and OSA, with participation and contributions from the Tufts OSA student chapter. It is a great family event, with 5,000 visitors expected. If anyone would like to lend a hand, please contact Barbara Darnell at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ."

Each year the NESOSA provides support to the various science fairs in Massachusetts. This includes funding for the events and prizes along with presentations of optics during the high school and middle school state finals.

We would like to invite all those interested in sharing their experience and passion for optics and science to join us. This year we have been asked to continue our optics demonstrations at the State High School Fair at MIT on Friday, May 1 & Saturday, May 2 and at the State Middle School Fair in Worcester on June 6th. Positions are also available for judging at both events.

Last year we had a great turnout at the High School fair at MIT with four members doing demonstrations and an additional 3 members at the Middle School Fair in  Worcester. Please join us this year.

If you have some time and interest please contact us for additional information.
G. Groot Gregory
Optical Research Associates
1800 West Park Drive, Suite 410
Westborough, MA, 01581

508-870-6500 x228
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