AOS is delighted to advise that Dr Frédérique Vanholsbeeck from the University of Auckland has been awarded OSA Diversity & Inclusion Advocacy Recognition based on her profound influence on the practices of her university and more generally in New Zealand science, and through her work on the AOS Council. She been a vocal promotor of gender parity in selecting invited conference speakers, based on her belief that this is central to giving these conferences, and scientific fields they represent, a positive image to junior female students. Thanks to her involvement and drive, ACOFT 2016 was seen as a shining example amongst the meetings of OSA’s Photonics and Fiber Technology congress in Sydney. Amongst other things, as AOS Councillor she promoted a policy that AOS only sponsors events that have appropriate gender and diversity policies, and she has argued to ensure that each AOS prize has at least one female applicant.