SPIE Announces Name Change


BELLINGHAM, WA--(Marketwire - June 6, 2007) - SPIE has retired "The International Society for Optical Engineering" adopted as its business name in 1981. The Society will be known as "SPIE" in order to better represent its growing community of scientists, researchers and engineers in industry, academia and government.

As a pioneer in the development of technical conferences and exhibitions designed to bring together a broad spectrum of technical disciplines, SPIE is now the leading society for light-based technologies powering important achievements in communications, biomedicine, security, space exploration, entertainment, semiconductor manufacturing, robotics, medical imaging, next-generation displays, battlefield technologies, biometric security, image processing, astronomy and computing.

Serving the interests of its more than 188,000 active constituents representing 138 different countries, SPIE acts as a catalyst for collaboration among technical disciplines, for information exchange, continuing education, publishing opportunities, patent precedent, and career and professional growth. As the organizer and sponsor of approximately 26 major conferences and education programs annually in North America, Europe, Asia, and the South Pacific, SPIE provides publishing, speaking, and learning opportunities on emerging technologies.

The SPIE Digital Library contains the world's largest collection of optics, photonics, imaging, sensor and scientific and technical research -- 240,000 papers, with 18,000 added each year. Keeping researchers informed, SPIE publishes six scholarly journals and a variety of print media publications.

In support of the community, the Society contributes more than $1M annually in scholarships, grants, and financial support. With 98 Student Chapters around the world, SPIE is expanding opportunities for students to develop professional skills and to utilize career opportunities, in full support of the next generation of scientists and engineers.

SPIE continues to serve its core optics and photonics community as an advocate as well as serving its broader scientific and technical communities, and society at large. Founded in 1955, SPIE continues to support those who seek to learn, discover and innovate by building a better world with light.

You can read more about these changes and download new logos at the newly updated website http://spie.org/x13507.xml.

Contact Information: Media Contact Stacey Crockett 360-676-3290