We had an incredible experience attending the APOMA Tech Workshop last week in New Orleans! This event was a fantastic opportunity to dive deep into the latest advancements and trends in the optics industry, providing us with cutting-edge insights and invaluable knowledge. The expertise shared by some of the leading voices in the field left us energized and inspired for the future of optics manufacturing and innovation.
One of the workshops that particularly stood out to us was Recent Freeform Fabrication Processing Science Development, led by Dr. Tayyab Suratwala from Lawrence Livermore National Lab. The session shed light on the complexities and future potential of freeform optical fabrication, which is becoming increasingly significant as the industry moves toward more sophisticated, high-precision optical designs. We were equally impressed by the session on Laser Damage, Causes, Mitigation & Measurement, presented by Dr. Nathan Carlie from Edmund Optics. Understanding the critical factors that cause laser damage and the techniques to mitigate it is essential to delivering high-performance optics that meet the demands of modern applications.
Another highlight was our exclusive tour of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) on Friday. This tour offered us a rare, up-close look at the revolutionary science and technology behind gravitational wave detection. Seeing LIGO’s operations firsthand was a truly fascinating experience. The level of precision and technological innovation involved in detecting phenomena as profound as gravitational waves left a lasting impression on us, further inspiring us in our work at Vertex Optics.
In addition to attending workshops and touring LIGO, we also had the pleasure of sharing Vertex Optics’ journey toward achieving our 110 rating for cyber security controls. This achievement highlights our ongoing commitment to both data protection and operational excellence. We hope that by sharing our experience, we can assist other companies working toward similar goals, helping them to enhance their security practices and protect sensitive data in an increasingly digital world. 🔒✨
We’d like to extend a heartfelt thank you to APOMA and all the event sponsors—SPIE, Universal Photonics, Thorlabs, AmeriCOM, Alpine Research Optics, Mark Optics Incorporated, Schott, Heraeus, Optipro, NGL America, Inc., Colorado Thin Films, Spica Technologies, Inc., and OptoTech—for making this event such a success. We left feeling inspired and excited about the future of optics. With new connections, innovative ideas, and fresh knowledge, we are ready to drive future innovations and continue pushing the boundaries of precision optics! 🚀🔬
