AOIA activities
- Create direct economic benefits for member companies.
- Provide active links from the AOIA website to member company websites and other vital resources.
- Develop and maintain a searchable database and directory that provides contact data and capabilities of companies and research labs throughout Arizona, accessible to the public via the web.
- Serve as a clearinghouse for contacts between external and internal interests within the industry sector, including posting of positions, partnering opportunities and needs, and networking.
- Facilitate technology transfer and access between universities, research labs and the private sector, including serving on various University of Arizona committees.
- Articulate and engage in workforce development and recruitment that supports the industry.
- Identify and provide educational opportunities for members, such as workshops, seminars and cluster specific luncheons with distinguished speakers.
- Explore and identify state and federal opportunities such as grants and labs for industry members, and facilitate university and industry partnerships.
- Educate the public and elected officials about the issues, opportunities and benefits of industry, technology and optical sciences research throughout Arizona.
- Meet with state and national legislators to promote beneficial legislation and funding in many different ways.
- Serve as an interface between the optics industry cluster and other industry clusters, including advanced materials and plastics, aerospace, environmental technologies, information technology and bio sciences, as well as the economic development community.
- Promote cross cluster activity through the Southern Arizona Technology Council.
Education
The Arizona Optics Industry Association is composed of individual consultants and companies with world class expertise in optical science, engineering, manufacturing and business in general. AOIA members have significant experience and expertise in optics education. The AOIA optics education focus group has been active in promoting projects that have benefits at the local, state, national and even international levels.
Optics educators have started a dialogue with optics companies, University of Arizona faculty in education, optical sciences and astronomy, local and state government agencies, and public and private schools on forming educational partnerships to promote a greater awareness of optics.
The AOIA works alongside professional bodies such as SPIE and Optica to advance these goals.
See the results of this work in Shared Successes and find related organisations on our industry links page.