Abstract

In latter 2001, SPIE—The International Society for Optical Engineering and the Optical Society of America (OSA) will hold a series of three workshops to develop a long-range plan for impacting informal science education in optics in the U.S. The National Science Foundation, with matching support from the societies and industry participants, is funding these workshops. This paper will report out on the workshop results.

The stated goal of the workshops is the creation of A Blueprint for the 21st Century. This Blueprint will include an analysis of short and long-term needs in optics education, an assessment of resources and capacities of the optics community to meet these needs, and development of an action plan for a more visible and viable national optics education program. The workshops will be held between July and November 2001 in varying locations around the U.S. Participants in the workshops will include members of OSA and SPIE, and a variety of experts in informal, youth, and minority science education. The workshops will be independently evaluated for their effectiveness in meeting the stated goals of the workshops.

© 2001 Optical Society of America