ROCKY MOUNTAIN SECTION OPTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA
                              &
           IEEE LASERS AND ELECTROOPTICS SOCIETY


                       April Meeting

Date:  Thursday, 17 April 2003
Time:  7 PM refreshments, 7:30 PM talk
Place: National Center for Atmospheric Research
       Foothills Laboratories
       Bldg.2 Room 1001
       3450 Mitchell Lane, Boulder


Title: Optical Rules of Thumb

       Dr. Ed Friedman
       Boeing Company
       Boulder, CO
       edward.j.friedman@boeing.com


Abstract:

Ed will discuss optics and photonics rules of thumb he has 
been collecting for about 10 years. The rules derive from 
three books he has written with John Miller of The Research 
Triangle Institute; "Photonics Rules of Thumb (1996), 
"Optical Communications Rules of Thumb" (2003), "Photonics 
Rules of Thumb 2nd Edition" (2003).

Rules of thumb are simple and easy to use methods for 
analyzing a concept (in this case optical) for the first 
time. They are nearly right and derive from short cut or 
other simplification derived from a published paper, book or 
other professional resource. They are easy to believe and 
explain to others. They canšt replace a full analysis but are 
extremely useful in defining those concepts that are worth 
studying further.

The rules evolved from the metarule "Necessity is the 
motherŠ". Miller and Friedman used to work together in a 
defense company. Many of the non-optics staff kept coming up 
with missions and experiments that violated the laws of 
physics. Miller and Friedman posted a list of "Dr. Photon's 
Rules of Thumb" that were to be read before the neophytes 
were allowed to propose technically naive ideas. It did no 
good, but the list grew and grew until it was the beginning 
of the first of this series of books.


Biography:

B.S., Physics, University of Maryland, 1966
Ph.D., Physics, Wayne State University, 1972

Dr. Friedman is a Technical Fellow of The Boeing Company 
working in the areas of NASA space science that include 
extra-solar planet detection, engineering solutions for the 
future of large space optics, the human role in the 
development of large space structures, and technologies for 
modeling of large space optics. 

Prior to joining Boeing, he was Chief Technologist of the 
Civil Space business unit of Ball Aerospace and Technologies 
Corporation where he led research and development activities 
for optical science instruments and space missions. Those 
missions included the use of space interferometry at Earth-
Sun L2.