Seeing the Light

This article discusses innovations and evolution in the optics industry. Local firms teamed with Monroe Community College to hold events that introduced high school students to optics . Paul Ballentine, who analyzes technology opportunities as deputy director of University of Rochester’s Center for Emerging and Innovative Sciences, sees plenty of upside. Light-based systems are continuing to grow, but Rochester’s optics community will have to reinvent itself to thrive. The Rochester Regional Photonics Cluster has morphed into New York Photonics, with additional clusters in Buffalo, central New York, Albany, and Long Island. It now represents hundreds of optics and photonics companies throughout the state. Paul Conrow, who was teaching physical sciences at Rochester’s East High School, is now recruiting 10th graders and showing them Rochester’s optics industry. Conrow presented the idea to the district superintendent, who had been principal in the only school in America with a student eyeglass program. He introduced Conrow to teachers at a sister high school where members of the cluster were helping to plan a precision optics program.