Bodo Ramelow, Prime Minister of Thuringia, Germany, and a delegation of scientists and dignitaries visited Rochester on May 14 and 15. The purpose of the visit was to advance the scientific, academic research and business relationship between Rochester and Jena, two “sister cities of light.” The ‘sister cities’ of Jena and Rochester (USA) have a...Continue Reading

2016: A lot to be grateful for! On December 14, the New York State Photonics Board announced the location of the nation’s test, assembly and packaging facility.  The TAP facility will colocate with ON Semiconductor in the City of Rochester.  This is another milestone for AIM Photonics in an international competition that holds great promise...Continue Reading

The East High Optical Fabrication laboratory recently added coating capabilities with a Denton DV-502A coating chamber. Patrick Iulianello,Vice President Operations at Accucoat (Rochester, NY) recently helped East High Precision Optics Manufacturing students with their first aluminum mirror coating efforts on 2″ plano discs (made in the lab).  Accucoat also helped with some custom tooling for the...Continue Reading

The ‘sister cities’ of Jena and Rochester (USA) have a lot in common: Here, as there, an optics industry has developed since the 19th century together with suppliers. While in Jena the collaboration between Carl Zeiss and Ernst Abbe significantly furthered optics research, soon after in Rochester, local industrialists George Eastman (Eastman Kodak) and Edward...Continue Reading

On the heels of 2015’s International Year of Light, Rochester, New York is achieving greater recognition for its preeminence in optics, photonics and imaging. Rochester’s 2015 designation as headquarters for AIM Photonics will bring with it a new Test, Assembly & Packaging plant to begin construction in 2017, with new jobs, new technologies and new skill set...Continue Reading

Project submission deadlines are in September. The Faire will be held at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center on Saturday, November 19th. Calling all makers, crafters, tinkerers, and artists: the application for the third annual Rochester Mini Maker Faire is now open! On November 19th  from 9am to 5pm at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center, Rochester...Continue Reading

Photonics jobs: Preparing today for future openings​ Top leaders at the American Institute for Manufacturing Integrated Photonics (AIM Photonics) say the projected optical technician jobs won’t be here for at least two or three years. That means anyone looking for a future photonics job has 25 months to learn more about the industry. >>Read more...Continue Reading

… but we have a feeling that some careers are beginning! Nine students in East High’s Precision Optics Fabrication Program worked for 60 hours over 3 weeks making precision optical lenses. The students generated, loose abrasively ground, and polished microscope objectives and lenses for eyepieces and well as other components. Each student measured final parts...Continue Reading

Don’t know what that means?  Read on… These are the only high school students in the nation manufacturing precision optics, and they are doing it during a summer immersion program this July in the East High School Optics Manufacturing Lab. The scorecard: “Yesterday, July 20, Alejandra’s optics measured 1/7th wave.” “Today, Demier Hill’s part measured to...Continue Reading

You don’t have to simply hope that there will be a skilled workforce available when your workforce begins to retire.  You can actually do something about it now. Sign the 5% Pledge and pay it forward.  For every 20 employees in your organization hire one temporary intern, co-op, high school student or long-term unemployed individual...Continue Reading