It is an undreamed-of honor, and deeply humbling, to be elected as President of SPIE and accept the many responsibilities that come with the position. When I look back, I never fail to be grateful for the many ways in which my career, indeed my life story, have been enriched through involvement with SPIE. Quite apart from the cutting-edge science and technology I have learned about, I have met so many delightful, clever, and helpful people, and made friends for life. I cannot hope to repay the huge debt I owe this Society, but I do hope, this year especially, to be of useful service to all Members and staff. Please never hesitate to contact me on anything that matters to you, wherever and whoever you are.
Having intended to avoid mention of the coronavirus pandemic, even when the societal influence of the contagion is so relentlessly pervasive, I find myself nonetheless musing on its impact on weathering the past year. Let me share two aspects with you: community and communications. One facet is human; the other, technological.
SPIE's heart is its community-individuals from across the globe, drawn together by technical interests, sharing news and visions, and establishing priceless human contact at the personal level. Close contact is what we most miss, with the ongoing upheaval of all of our familiar ways, plans, and expectations. But as we wait to reset our society when the worst of the pandemic is done, we have meanwhile learned to value more than ever the various means of communication that keep us connected-whether amongst family and friends, or digital forum interactions in virtual symposia.
SPIE Members are well aware of how extensively optics and photonics provide enabling technologies for modern channels of communication. We are accustomed to making high-definition videocalls across the globe, using the fantastic optics built into a modern smartphone. But the means of such direct communication is perhaps less obvious. Well over 99 percent of global data traffic is conveyed by cable, under the water covering two thirds of our globe. And with today's fiber optics, signals travel between North America and Europe in as little as 60 ms.
To put this in perspective, I have on my desk (pictured) a small section of the first permanent transatlantic telegraph cable. On this cable, messages were sent by Morse code at a rate of one alphanumeric character every two minutes-a bit rate of perhaps 0.05 bps. Now, using fiber optics, such intercontinental communications reach speeds of more than 10 Tbps. At each end of the connection, and along most of its length, optical technology is at the heart of our communications. Light brings us together.
Sincere best wishes to all the SPIE community for a safe, healthy, well-connected, and enlightened year.
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David Andrews 2021 SPIE President |
