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Press Release Detail: Thorlabs: Patron Sponsor of the International Year of Light Newton, NJ - September 4, 2014 -Thorlabs is pleased to announce its support of the proclamation by the 68th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations to designate 2015 as the International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies (IYL 2015) by becoming a Patron sponsor. The initiative, which is being led by a large consortium of scientific bodies together with the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), is aiming to increase global awareness about the importance of light-based and optical technologies in the lives of all human beings and for the development of society. Thorlabs is an international photonics company that provides products and support directly to scientist, engineers, teachers, and hobbyists in over 120 countries, all of whom have a passion for developing and using photonics-based technologies. Alex Cable, owner and founder of Thorlabs, commented, “The Photonic Sciences do not have geographical boundaries. Becoming a Patron Sponsor of the IYL is a great way to educate the world about the exciting work being done by our customers. The development and utilization of photonics-based technologies is a global opportunity worthy of increased awareness.” In addition to sponsoring the IYL 2015, Thorlabs will continue to contribute to conferences, symposiums, and other opportunities in the academic community. Thorlabs also has plans to expand its Discovery line of educational kits, which focus on creating hands-on learning opportunities for fundamental photonics concepts. About Thorlabs: Thorlabs, a vertically integrated photonics products manufacturer, was founded in 1989 to serve the laser and electro-optics research market. As that market has spawned a multitude of technical innovations, Thorlabs has extended its core competencies in an effort to play an ever increasing role serving the Photonics Industry at the research end, as well as the industrial, life science, medical, and defense segments. The organization’s highly integrated and diverse manufacturing assets include semiconductor fabrication of Fabry-Perot, DFB, and VCSEL lasers, fiber towers for drawing both silica and fluoride glass optical fibers, MBE crystal growth machines, extensive glass and metal fabrication facilities, advanced thin film deposition capabilities, and optomechanical and optoelectronic shops.