SPIE Defense, Security, and Sensing 2009 will be held at the Orlando World Center Marriott Resort & Convention Center, Orlando, Florida, from April 13 through April 17, 2009. Attendees will have access to more than 500 exhibiting companies, 2,100 technical presentations, and 57 professional development courses and workshops in such areas as technologies for defense, industrial, and commercial applications; sensing and systems; and sensor and data analysis.

Plenary events at the conference include a symposium-wide plenary presentation on Tuesday, April 14, by Norman R. Augustine, retired chairman and chief executive officer of Lockheed Martin Corp., who will discuss the need for the engineering profession to re-invent itself as a result of the rapid pace of change in modern technology. Also on Tuesday, Dr. Manfred G. Bester, director of operations, Space Sciences Lab, University of California, Berkeley, will present "Flight Operations at U.C. Berkeley: Earth Orbit and Beyond." On Wednesday, April 15, Major David J. Irvin of the U.S. Air Force will present "A History of U.S. Infrared Capability in Space."

Among the technical events attendees can look forward to are a poster session, an invited panel discussion on issues and challenges in sensor fusion, and "Special Sessions on HgCdTe: 50-Year Anniversary," which will feature invited speakers from around the world who will present a summary of the history and current status of the most widely used detector in modern infrared systems. In addition, the Vendor Presentations and Reception on April 13 will bring together vendors and exhibitors to highlight the newest products and services being shown at the Exhibition. This is an excellent opportunity for conference attendees to prioritize their activities when visiting the exhibits, and it also offers a relaxed setting for informal discussions on matters of mutual interest.

Social and professional development events scheduled during the conference include the two-day SPIEWorks Career Fair, the Women in Optics Presentation and Reception, and the Student Lunch with the Experts.

For more information and to register online, visit http://www.spie.org/.