OSA MEMBERS VISIT LEGISLATORS TO ADVOCATE FOR SUSTAINED FEDERAL FUNDING FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY.

WASHINGTON -- The following information was released by the Optical Society of America:

Today, members of the Optical Society (OSA), along with members from IEEE-USA, APS and OIDA, came together from around the United States for Capitol Hill Day 2011 to speak with their senators and representatives about sustained federal funding for science and technology in Fiscal Year (FY) 2012. The Capitol Hill Day event is being held in conjunction with CLEO: 2011 to remind legislators of the critical nature of research and development (RandD) funding and the impact that decreases in funding have on America's ability to make important science and technology (SandT) advances.

The 25 participants will visit more than 70 offices throughout the day, asking for legislators to support level and consistent funding in FY 2012 for U.S. federal science agencies, including the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Department of Energy's Office of Science, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Members will be sharing the message that research being done at these agencies is vital to the innovation and production of the next generation of advanced technology products and services. Participants will remind legislators that scientific and engineering research is crucial for job creation and the long-term health of the country's economy with the optical industry in particular being a leading source of high-quality manufacturing jobs for the U.S. in the future.

"Now more than ever it is critical for legislators to be reminded of the value and importance of federally funded research," said Greg Quarles, Capitol Hill Day participant and OSA Public Policy committee chair. "By visiting with our legislators, we are able to put a face to the science and explain on a deeper level just how important it is for sustained science funding."

By sharing personal stories of their experiences as professionals in the field of optics and photonics and by pointing out specific optics-related advances that have been discovered and developed as a result of federal funding, the participants hope to show the lawmakers that increased funding is an investment in America's future. Advancements like the Internet, energy efficient lighting and the laser were all made possible by federal research funds.