My name is Larry Sverdrup; I am a scientist with a fairly broad background and married with 3 kids. My two hobbies are climbing mountains and presenting entertaining and educational science shows to audiences of all ages. I attended Reed College in Portland Oregon, majoring in physics, and received a PhD in applied physics from Caltech in Pasadena, California. Currently I am employed by Trex Enterprises Corporation in San Diego, California.
I first became involved with lasers in high school, when I built a dye laser for a science fair project, earning the nickname “laser Larry.” I have worked with lasers on and off ever since. My first job in industry was to photograph the most powerful laser beam ever sent into space. The photograph appeared in Aviation Week and Space Technology, March 28, 1988.
Becoming an LSO and CLSO
I became an LSO working for Ophthonix, Inc., presently located in Vista California. At Ophthonix we developed a device, the Z-View™ wavefront aberrometer, to quickly measure the aberrations of the human eye by reflecting a laser beam off the retina, and analyzing the result. Being an LSO implies that one is responsible in some measure for the safety of others. What an LSO does is work with people to ensure that safe practices are understood, and that proper protocols are followed. The challenge is that no two people are alike, and there is a natural tendency to become cavalier with hazards that rarely impact anyone. My job is to remind them of the potential consequences so that the proper protocols are adhered to. My personal philosophy is that the best way to learn to be safe in any endeavor is to read about accidents that occurred to similar people in related situations.
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