OSA, AIP Air Photonics TV Spots

The Optical Society of America (OSA) and the American Institute of Physics (AIP) are jointly developing TV news segments on advances in optics and photonics. The program, "Discoveries and Breakthroughs Inside Science" (DBIS), is designed to help raise awareness of the role of basic science in technological advances that impact everyday life. Geared toward the general public, segments run on local TV stations nationwide. "Creative approaches in packaging and delivering science news has helped improved the image and interest in science," said Elizabeth Rogan, OSA's executive director. "DBIS is a well-tested product that serves many different markets and communities, and TV programming allows us to demonstrate the wonders and importance of optics in a visually compelling way.” The DBIS news crew digs up stories on optics and photonics research nearing application and works directly with lead researchers with on-camera interviews and video shoots. The package is distributed via satellite to more than 60 subscribing TV stations nationwide, which air the spots as time permits. Segments have featured a bioreactor that cleans up carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel exhaust via hybrid solar lighting and a an elastic light-sensitive material that could be used to capture multicolored fingerprints. Segments are posted at www.osa.org/news/DBIS. Copies are available on CD or DVD (free to OSA members).