Hi,

  The OSSC has invited the OSSD to attend a nearby meeting in San Clemente on April 7, 2009.  The meeting will be at Reynard Corp.  Reynard has been in the optics industry since 1984 and has a wonderful facility for thin film coating and patterning.  The meeting includes:

• Dinner at 7:00 PM
• Presentation/Tour from 8:00 PM to 9:45 PM
• Dessert at 9:45 PM

I encourage you to visit the OSSC website (http://www.ossc.org) for more details.

  Several people have contacted me in the last couple months asking what has happened to the OSSD?  As you may know this is the first announcement we've had in just over one year.   Prior to that I have personally organized the overwhelming majority of the meetings for the previous couple of years.  For us to continue as a viable Optics Group in San Diego, I need help.

  Simply put, I need people to volunteer to organize meetings.  This activity takes a total of about four (4) hours per meeting and involves:

1. Inviting a speaker,
2. Finding a location (often the place of business of the speaker),
3. Arranging for a meal.

I have received some anectdotal feedback over the years:  meetings last too long, too much traffic, we need membership dues, e-mails don't get to me, we need volunteers for the Science Fair.  As a group, we can work on addressing these issues.  As an individual, I need your help to find out:

• What do you want out of the OSSD?
• Are you willing to pitch in to help the OSSD and the Optics Industry in San Diego?

If you respond to this e-mail with an offer to help, I will meet with you individually or as a group; at the OSSC meeting or at a location in San Diego.  Please share your thoughts.

Best regards,

Brian Catanzaro