I wake up this morning and I'm a member of Optica

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

I used to be a member of the Optical Society of America (also, for a time, one of their editors), but I just learned that the society changed its name to Optica, which is also the name of one of their newer journals. They say this will not cause confusion, but I know people – anything can cause confusion.

The change does make sense. OSA’s membership came from all over the world, and neither rank and file nor officers were necessarily from the US. Calling it “Optica” emphasizes its international nature. It’s just a surprisingly sudden and unheralded change. If you go to their website, they say that it’s not sudden at all, that it was thirty years in the making ( https://www.osa-opn.org/home/articles/volume_32/october_2021/features/the_story_of_optica/ and About Our Brand | Optica ), but this is the first I’ve heard of the actual change.

Speaking of journals, I’m used to talking and writing about JOSA (The Journal of the Optical Society of America). What happens to that? Will it now be the jocular JO?

2

Good optics for the Optical Society of America to become Optica. It’s the optimal option for all opticians and optometrists.

3

Love your optimism

4

I see what you did there.

5

Clearly something to keep an eye on.

6

What about the ophthalmologists?

7

They are members of Ophthalmologica.

8

I take it that this was not an optional thing for members?

9

Not sure what you mean. The organization name change happened abruptly without any sort of group vote being taken – it was decided by the leaders. I suppose if people felt really strongly about it they could quit in protest, but how many people are going to do so?

10

My optician’s shop is called “optical”. It’s not a great name, because there are too many things with that name, so it’s hard to Google.

11

It was just a bad pun, following on the other bad puns. My apologies for the confusion!

12

Sorry. I’m slow this morning.