2018 AmeriCOM Symposium to discuss strengthening and advancing America's optics industry

On Sept. 27, 2018, the AmeriCOM Symposium will be held at the Woodcliff Lodge in Fairport, NY, aiming to "strengthen and advance America's optics industry in a climate of increased global competition and decreasing SBIR funding for optics R&D."

The conference is being put on by New York Photonics (which is home to the American Institute for Manufacturing Integrated Photonics, or AIM Photonics); AmeriCOM, the American Center for Optics Manufacturing; and the American Precision Optics Manufacturers Association (APOMA).

On July 21, 2017, President Trump issued an executive order on assessing and strengthening the manufacturing and defense industrial base and supply chain resiliency of the United States. The substance of the Symposium draws from that executive order; conference-goers will discuss advancing America's optics industry and will, for example, discuss the question: How resilient is the DoD optical systems supply chain, including critical commodities such as glass and rare earths?

Symposium speakers

The event's keynote speaker is Adele Ratcliff, Director, Manufacturing Resiliency & Assurance (MRA) & Industrial Base Analysis & Sustainment (IBAS), ODASD (MIBP). Ms. Ratcliff is currently the director of the Manufacturing Resiliency & Assurance office and the Industrial Base Analysis & Sustainment Program (IBAS) within the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manufacturing and Industrial Base Policy (ODASD(MIBP)). During her tenure in OSD, she has focused on building strong interagency partnerships to address broad transition of manufacturing issues such as manufacturing readiness and the Advanced Manufacturing Enterprise.

Her current position uses the authorities of the Industrial Base Analysis & Sustainment (IBAS) program element to enable a modern industrial base that integrates traditional and emerging sectors to be able to respond at will to National Security Requirements. Most recently, as the director of the DOD Manufacturing Technology (ManTech) Program, Ratcliff led the effort in establishing the DOD's national Manufacturing Innovation Institutes (MIIs) outlined in the President's 2013 State of the Union address, now known as Manufacturing USA Institutes.

The symposium speakers include:

--Dan Harris, Naval Air Systems Command, China Lake

--Susan Houde-Walter, LaserMaxDefense

--John Schoen, Laboratory for Laser Energetics

--Alexis Vogt, Monroe Community College Optics

--Jessica Nelson, Optimax Systems

--Keith Rozenburg, SCHOTT North America

Among other topics, the speakers will discuss the history and successes born from Rochester's Center for Optics Manufacturing and the Navair Optics SBIR program, successes that keep America's optics manufacturers competitive today. Topics also include the early-stage technologies that may disrupt manufacturing in the OPI space in the future, a discussion about the only optical systems technology degree in the nation, and what it will take to produce the technicians that America's optics manufacturers need today (Monroe Community College has a comprehensive two-year degree in optical technology; its graduates are highly sought after for positions as optical technicians).

Attendees will learn about what the DoD has learned from studying their manufacturing supply chain, and will find out where their own company fits.

U.S. citizenship required

The event is held from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.; attendees must be U.S. citizens. The cost and schedule of the AmeriCOM Symposium are as follows:

Cost -- $150
7:30 a.m. registration / continental breakfast

8:00 a.m. to noon: Symposium with speakers

Noon to 1:00 p.m.: Lunch

The Symposium consists of a full day of events, including the annual golf tournament, a cocktail reception, and Rochester's annual Photonics Clambake. The Symposium organizers note that, even with the golf and reception, conference-goers will still have time to catch an evening flight home.

Accomodations:

Hotel blocks have been arranged at Woodcliff.

Government Rate – $106

Business Rate- $159

Phone – 800-365-3065

Mention AmeriCOM or New York Photonics

About AmeriCOM

Formed in 2017, the AmeriCOM consortium and its members focus on specialty materials, precision deterministic manufacturing techniques, innovative designs, optical coatings, high speed metrology, and other light-based innovations that directly relate to the capacity, capabilities, and resiliency of America's manufacturing and defense industrial base and supply chains.

For more on AmeriCOM, see americom.org.

Source: https://newyorkphotonics.org/events/americom-morning-meeting/