Optica, founded as theOptical Society of America (later theOptical Society), is a professional society of individuals and companies with an interest inoptics andphotonics. It publishesjournals, organizesconferences andexhibitions, and carries out charitable activities.
In 2008, it changed its name to the Optical Society.[6] In September 2021, the organization's name changed to Optica, in reference to the organization'sjournal by the same name and geographic neutrality to reflect the society's global membership.[7]
In 2024, following an employee whistleblower complaint,Bloomberg News reported that the Optica Foundation Challenge was funded entirely byHuawei.[8][9][10] In response, theUnited States House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology launched a probe and Optica announced that it would no longer accept money from Huawei, remove the company's representation on a panel of judges, return donations made by Huawei from 2022 onward, and remove Elizabeth A. Rogan as CEO.[11][12][13][14]
Optica Publishing Group is Optica's scientific publishing platform, which publishes peer-reviewed optics and photonics research. Optica Publishing Group's portfolio consists of 20 publications.[15]
Optical Materials Express,ISSN2159-3930; 2011–present — An open access journal covering advances in novel optical materials, their properties, modeling, synthesis and fabrication techniques.
Optics Letters,ISSN0146-9592 (print);ISSN1539-4794 (online); 1977–present — Providing rapid publication of short papers in all fields of optical science and technology.
Optics Continuum,ISSN2770-0208; 2022–present — An open access journal that publishes research articles meeting the standards for technical accuracy, scientific rigor, and presentation quality without judgment of impact or significance.
Optics and Photonics News, ISSN 1047-6938; 1975–present. Publishes monthly news for recent developments in optics on topics related to science and society, education, technology, and business.
Optica presents awards and honors, includingOptica Fellow, Honorary Membership, and Awards/Medals. Optica's awards and medals program is endowed through the Optica Foundation, and includes more than 20 named awards; among them are the following:[18]
Hilda Conrady Kingslake, optics researcher, author of the "History of the Optical Society of America, 1916-1966" and "The First 50 Years — the Institute of Optics 1929-1979."[20]
TheInter-Society Color Council records atHagley Museum and Library (contain materials from the Optical Society of America including annual meeting programs, reports issued by the Committee on Colorimetry, and issues of the Society's official publication, theJournal of the Optical Society of America.)
