Contact IEEE SCV Photonics for event and ticket information.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009 from 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM (PT)
6:00pm: Networking & catered holiday dinner
7:00pm: Presentation
8:00pm: Adjourn
Cost: $10/person, free for K-12 students or younger.
Dinner Menu (subject to change):
Main Entrees: 1. Texas B.B.Q Ribs; 2. Chicken Marsala; 3. Cheese Tortellini Bake (vegetarian)
Sides: 1. Steamed Rice; 2. Garlic Bread; 3. Dinner Rolls
Salads: 1. Green Salad Bowl; 2. Fresh Fruit Salad Bowl; 3. Roasted Potatoes
Plus desserts and drinks.
Our December meeting has traditionally been something the whole family could come and enjoy, but with a scientific
angle to it. Origami, for those who aren't familiar with it, is the ancient Japanese art making objects through
paper folding designs, from one piece of paper, usually with no cuts. In more recent years, computer programs have
allowed folding diagrams to be developed for arbitrarily designed objects: something our speaker has helped to
advance.
Robert Lang has made his living over the past 8 years as one of the world's more famous origami artists, making folded artworks for art collectors, television commercials, and working with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory on how to fold a collapsible telescope lens, among other projects. In his spare time, he is the Editor-in-Chief of the IEEE Photonics Society's most established publication: the Journal of Quantum Electronics. He also continues to stay involved in laser projects through consulting assignments and in 2009 received Caltech's highest honor, the Distinguished Alumni Award.
Our Chapter Chair Bob Herrick followed Robert's work back 17 years ago when he was doing semiconductor laser research at Spectra Diode Labs, where he worked his way to the position of VP of R&D. He's been asked to start out the presentation with a discussion of how he went from SDL during the crazy telecom boom and bust, to becoming a professional origami artist. He will follow with material from his famous presentation, "From Flapping Birds to Space Telescopes: the Modern Science of Origami", which has been delivered at universities, companies, and museums worldwide, and is available in abbreviated form below in the TED video link. In addition, he will include a live demonstration, and handouts so you can try your hand at folding yourself. He had authored, coauthored, or edited 9 books on origami, including his latest, "Origami4", which explores connections between origami, math, science, technology, and education. We will be giving a few books away to lucky raffle winners.
Come join us for this holiday celebration, and bring friends and family! Sign up in advance is required, since capacity crowds are expected.
Links to the work of Dr. Robert Lang:
Robert J. Lang received his BS from Caltech, MS from Stanford, and Ph.D. from Caltech. After a postdoc at Standard
Elektrik Lorenz AG, he worked at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory carrying out research on semiconductor lasers and
optoelectronics. In 1992 he joined Spectra Diode Laboratories, where he led research on high-power lasers including
unstable resonator diode lasers, high-power DFBs, tunable lasers and others, eventually becoming Vice-President of
Research and Development. In 2000, he took over Component Packaging Development for SDL, Inc., developing and
delivering Telcordia-qualified high-power pump laser modules to manufacturing and sale. In 2001, he left SDL
(then JDSU) to focus on his long-time passion, origami, an art in which he is a recognized world master. Since then
he has divided his time between exhibitions, writing, and lecturing on origami and its underlying mathematics in
forums both artistic and technical, and consulting in lasers and optoelectronics, most recently in the area of
speckle-based position sensors. He is the author or co-author of 80 refereed papers and over 50 patents awarded and
pending. In 2009 he was awarded Caltech's highest honor, the Distinguished Alumni Award. He is a member of the IEEE
Photonics Society, a Fellow of the Optical Society of America, and the current Editor-in-Chief of the IEEE Journal
of Quantum Electronics.
IEEE Santa Clara Valley Photonics Society
The Santa Clara Valley Chapter of the IEEE Photonics Society, previously known as IEEE Laser and Electro-Optics Society (LEOS), is interested in lasers, optical devices, optical fibers, and associated lightwave technology and their research, development, design, manufacture, and applications in systems and subsystems. The Society is also concerned with the various scientific and technological activities which contribute to the useful expansion of the field.
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