The 1971 OSA conference, held at Old Tucson (see The Optical Society Goes West, Again) was probably the first time 'lenslets' were presented to the optics community. Lenslets are still a cornerstone of wavefront sensing, and the story of how Roland Shack and Ben Platt made them is a testament to their ingenuity and scrappiness.

Forty-three years ago, the Optical Society (OSA) held their meeting at the Ramada Inn Tucson West. Over 700 attendees gathered in the Old Pueblo and enjoyed some Western hospitality, including an informal dinner and show at Old Tucson.