1. 1 The LOFT group Who we are Where we came from Where we are going Large Optics Fabrication and Testing ?

2. In the Beginning 1997: Assistant Professor of Optical Sciences The students were hungry for new challenges: 2

3. 3 U of A Telescopes Bok 90-in Telescope Kitt Peak, AZ MMT 6.5m Mt. Hopkins AZ Magellan twin 6.5m Telescopes Las Campanas, Chile Large Binocular 2 x 8.4m Telescope Mt. Graham AZ

4. For a while, we were LOST 4

5. Some big Fab and Test projects 5 2-m convex reference 1.4-m convex off-axis aspheric 1.6-m flat 4.3-m primary mirror for Discovery Channel Telescope

6. LOFT Evolution 2005 6

7. LOFT Evolution 2006 7

8. LOFT Evolution 2007 8

9. LOFT Evolution 2008 9

10. LOFT Evolution 2009 10

11. LOFT Evolution 2010 11

12. LOFT Evolution 2011 12

13. LOFT Evolution 2012 13

14. Current Projects Large Optics Fabrication and Testing for New Telescopes Advanced measurement technologies Superpolishing techniques Optomechanical Engineering Computer modeling 14

15. J. H. Burge University of Arizona 15 The Giant Magellan Telescope Site in Chile 2021 first light

16. GMT Design 36 meters high, 25.3 meters across 25-m Primary mirror (f/0.7) 3.2-m segmented secondary mirror corrects for PM position errors deformable mirror for adaptive optics Alt-Az structure ~1000 tons moving mass 21.3 m azimuth disk 21 m elevation C-ring Steel + CFRP secondary support Instruments mount below primary at the Gregorian focus

17. Large Synoptic Survey Telescope 8.4-m aperture Uses three-mirror design to attain 3.5° field of view 15-sec exposures to survey the sky 30TB of data per night! Site in Chile

18. 18 Site is Haleakala, Maui, Hawaii Advanced Technology Solar Telescope

19. 10-m Hobby Eberly Telescope 4-mirror Wide Field Corrector 19

20. Looking Forward Continue to develop and apply new technologies –Maintain preeminent position in the field of Large Optics –Provide mirrors and instruments for large telescopes Diversify! Use our strength to take leadership roles in other areas –Freeform aspherics –Adaptive Optics –Flexible software –Optomechanical engineering –??? What can you add ??? 20

21. Our keys to success! Maintain lots of activity and interaction Create new ideas Use funded projects to test new ideas Work with professional staff to turn ideas into capabilities Use new capabilities to win new projects 21

22. Your challenges 22 Maintain lots of activity and interaction Create new ideas Use funded projects to test new ideas Work with professional staff to turn ideas into capabilities

23. Your reward 23 Solid engineering skills –Technical: Analysis, modeling, practical skills –Communications: writing, presenting, working with a team –Work habits: productivity Well-developed creativity –Generate new ideas –Sift them efficiently Love your work! (and get paid well for it too.)