    [Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 6 (Wednesday, January 10, 2018)]
    [Extensions of Remarks]
    [Page E21]
    From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

              HONORING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF DR. EUGENE G. ARTHURS

                                     ______

                             HON. SUZAN K. DelBENE

                                 of washington

                        in the house of representatives

                          Wednesday, January 10, 2018

      Ms. DelBENE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. Eugene G.
    Arthurs, a visionary leader, dedicated scholar, and passionate advocate
    for science and technology, on the occasion of his retirement from
    SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics. Dr. Arthurs
    led SPIE from its headquarters in Bellingham, WA. During his tenure,
    SPIE grew to 19,000 members and 264,000 constituents representing
    optics and photonics experts and industry leaders in 166 countries,
    making Bellingham the home to a top international scientific society.
       Dr. Arthurs' distinguished career as a physicist, educator, CEO, and
    global photonics community leader provided him with the opportunity to
    share his passion for the science and beauty of light with students,
    researchers, and politicians across the globe. He was one of the
    driving forces behind the launch of the National Photonics Initiative
    (NPI), an alliance of top scientific societies uniting industry and
    academia to raise awareness of photonics. He has been a tireless
    spokesperson for the need of the science and technology community to
    engage with policymakers.
       Before he joined SPIE in 1999, he spent 25 years working in
    photonics in the United Kingdom and the United States. He was the first
    member of his family to get a science degree, receiving his Bachelor of
    Science with honors in physics and his doctorate in applied physics
    from Queens University Belfast. He taught optoelectronics at Queens and
    conducted research at the Imperial College of London before immigrating
    to the United States in 1980.
       I would like to thank Dr. Arthurs for his commitment and dedication
    to the field. He has been an asset to the science policy community, and
    his guidance in the creation of the NPI provided a solid foundation in
    photonics advocacy work. I wish him the best and hope he continues to
    find inspiration in his future endeavors.

                              ____________________