Congresswoman Slaughter Delivers Remarks at the 100th Annual Meeting of The Optical Society

ROCHESTER, NY — Congresswoman Louise M. Slaughter (NY-25) today delivered remarks as part of the 100th annual meeting of The Optical Society, which is being held in Rochester where it was founded. Approximately 1,000 attendees from all over the world attended, including students from East High School's optics program. Below are her remarks, as prepared for delivery:

“Good morning! Thank you, Liz, for that warm welcome and your strong leadership at OSA. It is wonderful to be celebrating this remarkable milestone with so many friends and dignitaries, including seven Nobel Laureates. I’m especially glad to see so many students from East High School joining us today, along with their advisor, Paul Conrow. I’ve toured East High many times and they are doing extraordinary work preparing our students for life after school. I have no doubt that students here today will pursue careers in optics and photonics and play a major role in continuing Rochester’s proud leadership in this important field.

I have said for some time that I am absolutely bullish on the resurgence we’re seeing in Rochester. That’s thanks in part to the historic investments we’re making in our home-grown photonics industry.

Today’s advancements got their roots more than a century ago when Perley Nutting, a scientist at the U.S. Bureau of Standards in Washington, moved to our community to take a position at Eastman Kodak. He worked with local luminaries to create the Rochester Association for the Advancement of Applied Optics, and then formed The Optical Society.

Our world has never been the same since. The Optical Society has grown dramatically from just nine scientists in Rochester back in 1916 to more than 19,000 members in more than 100 countries today. This growth mirrors the extraordinary strides made in optics and photonics over the last century, which have impacted nearly every aspect of our lives.

The phones that some of you have in your hands right now to share the developments of this conference on social media are perhaps the most ubiquitous example of this. Just a few years ago, you needed bulky, heavy equipment to take a good photo. Now, some of the best cameras in the world are right in our pockets.

Our community has also been changed forever. I’m incredibly proud to have led a three-year effort to bring a photonics institute to Rochester, showing leaders at the highest level of our government the amazing work being done here by our photonics manufacturers. Monroe County is now leading the world in photonics research and building the most advanced and innovative workforce anywhere.

Make no mistake – the history we’re making right here in Rochester – in partnership with OSA – is being felt around the country and around the world. That was especially true earlier this year, when researchers at the Rochester Institute of Technology utilized cutting-edge laser technology to help detect gravitational waves and further confirm Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity.

That’s not all. The University of Rochester is also conducting groundbreaking research every single day at its world-class laser lab and in fields like bio-imaging research, while training students for a future in fields like optics and polymer science.

I have no doubt that this is just the beginning of what we can do if we continue making investments in optics and photonics research. As we mark The Optical Society’s 100th anniversary, I know you are well positioned for another century of discovery that will continue shaping our region and our economy, and redefining our lives. Thank you!”

Rep. Slaughter led the effort to bring a photonics institute to Rochester. More than three years ago, Slaughter began organizing local stakeholders at meetings in Rochester and in Washington, DC, and brought federal leaders to Monroe County to meet with our photonics manufacturers. She then led a successful multi-year national campaign to convince the Obama Administration to commit to a photonics-focused institute for manufacturing. After the Rochester-led national consortium was chosen as one of three finalists for the institute, Slaughter successfully pushed Governor Cuomo to back the consortium with a significant state investment. In July of last year, Rep. Slaughter joined Vice President Joseph R. Biden to announce that Rochester had won the competition to house a national photonics hub.

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