Toronto, Ontario, May 25, 2006 - Optech Incorporated, the global leader in the development and manufacture of laser-based survey instruments, is pleased to announce that Dr. Allan Carswell, Founder and Chairman of Optech Incorporated, has been honored with the John H. Chapman Award of Excellence by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) for his significant achievements and lifelong dedication to space science and development in Canada.
The John H. Chapman award celebrates remarkable contributions to space science and technology. Dr. Carswell is the seventh recipient of this esteemed award. His innovative work with lidar technology and his involvement with the University of Arizona, NASA, and CSA on the Phoenix 2007 Mission to Mars have garnered high recognition in the global science community. This prestigious award was presented to Dr. Carswell at a ceremony on May 18, 2006 at the Canadian Space Agency in Longueuil, Quebec.
Dr. Carswell is an internationally recognized leader in lidar applications. A lidar pioneer since the early 1960s, Dr. Carswell founded Optech Incorporated in 1974 to develop commercial systems based on lidar technology. He has played an active role in the growth of Optech throughout its 32 year history. Optech has expanded from its original manufacturing base in atmospheric lidar to its current position as the leading developer and manufacturer of commercial lidar systems for a wide and growing range of applications. Dr. Carswell's expertise in lidar measurements led to his acceptance as Canadian co-investigator on the Phoenix Science Team for the meteorological station (MET) that will be placed on Mars in 2008.
"We are delighted for Dr. Carswell, and it is with pride that we see how his work has been recognized and rewarded," says Don Carswell, President of Optech. "Allan has been the principal driver in Optech's involvement in space applications and continues to be active with our Space division. Everyone at Optech is very excited about Allan's current work and his scientific role on Optech's lidar for the Phoenix mission. We are all eager to see the first surface lidar measurements from Mars in 2008. All at Optech extend their congratulations to Dr. Carswell on this great achievement."
