{"id":11,"date":"2020-08-18T17:13:56","date_gmt":"2020-08-18T17:13:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/live-optics-wp.pantheonsite.io\/chalifoux\/?page_id=11"},"modified":"2026-05-15T18:53:38","modified_gmt":"2026-05-15T18:53:38","slug":"people","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/wp.optics.arizona.edu\/chalifoux\/people\/","title":{"rendered":"People"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n
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Brandon Chalifoux, Assistant Professor<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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Prior to joining the College of Optical Sciences (2020-present), I completed my Ph.D. and Postdoctoral training at MIT in the Space Nanotechnology Laboratory. I completed a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering at Rice Unviersity. Aside from research and teaching, I enjoy rock climbing, mountain biking, and trying to avoid the cholla during both.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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Graduate students<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n
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Kevin Laverty, PhD student (Optical Sciences)<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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Brody McElwain, PhD student (Optical Sciences)<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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I graduated from Penn State University with a B.S. and M.S. in Engineering Science and Mechanics in 2022. I started my PhD in Optical Sciences at UofA in 2022. I work on technology development for high-resolution X-ray optics. My research has an emphasis on fabrication, assembly, and figure correction of our X-ray Flex Module concept. In my spare time I enjoy climbing at Mount Lemmon and Cochise Stronghold, live music in the Tucson and Phoenix music scenes, film photography, and going to the movies.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n

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Hill Tailor, PhD student (Optical Sciences)<\/h3>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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I received my B.S. in Applied Physics from the University of Arizona in 2022 and began my PhD in Optical Sciences at the University of Arizona the same year. My research focuses on improving process development for optomechanical structures, particularly for X-ray optics. Outside of research, I enjoy martial arts, hiking, traveling, and cooking.<\/span><\/div>\r\n

Sofia Hillman, PhD student (Optical Sciences)<\/h3>\r\n

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I started my PhD in optical sciences at the University of Arizona in 2024 after graduating with a Bachelor of Science in physics from UC Santa Barbara\u2019s College of Creative Studies. I work on technology development and optical metrology for lightweight optics. Outside of being a student, I enjoy cycling, baking, thrifting and upcycling, and volunteering at the Humane Society.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Lakshmi Priya Keerthi Gurunathan, PhD student (Optical Sciences)<\/h3>\r\n

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I graduated from Pondicherry University, India, with an M.S. in Physics before starting my PhD in Optical Sciences at the University of Arizona. My research focuses on improving ultrafast laser processes such as welding and etching of optical materials. In my spare time, I enjoy working on art projects, reading books, playing board games, and traveling to explore new places.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Kyle Ettinger, MS student (Optical Sciences)<\/h3>\r\n

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I received my B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines before starting my PhD in Optical Sciences at the University of Arizona. My research focuses on developing a novel displacement measuring interferometer to characterize the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of ultra-stable composites for NASA. I also leverage my mechanical engineering background to design custom optomechanical hardware \u2014 including a mirror with an integrated flexure \u2014 to interface with the composite samples. Outside of research, I enjoy cycling.<\/p>\r\n

Bernie Lee, MS student (Optical Sciences)<\/h3>\r\n

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Hello! I completed my undergraduate in Physics at the University of Washington in 2021. I’ve been at the UofA since 2024, and am currently wrapping up my masters thesis focused on developing a metrology system for measuring thin gaps which will be implemented on the laser stress figuring system.<\/div>\r\n
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On cooler days, I love to go outside and play any form of racket sports or drive around looking for garage sales. When it gets too hot in the summer, I’m a big fan of flight\/car\/mech simming.\u00a0<\/div>\r\n

Peikun Guo, MS student (Optical Sciences)<\/h3>\r\n

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Undergraduate students<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n
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Francisco Calixtro, BS student (Optical Sciences)<\/h3>\r\n

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I am a senior in Optical Engineering at the University of Arizona. I earned an Associate of Science degree from Pima Community College in 2023 and have spent the past two years working in Dr. Chalifoux\u2019s Lightweight Optics Lab. My research interests include optical fabrication, ultrafast laser processing, and optomechanical design. In my free time, I enjoy playing golf and spending time with my family, especially with my dog, Nova.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Dillan Synan, BS student (Optical Sciences)<\/h3>\r\n

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Hi! I’m Dillan Synan, I’m a B.S. student, and I’ve been with the lab since 2024. I do research to develop new manufacturing and precision measurement techniques for lightweight X-Ray optics. Outside of school and research, I really enjoy cooking and eating new things, reading, playing video games, and travelling when I get the chance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Research staff<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n
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Jackie Johnson, Administrative Associate\u00a0<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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I joined the Wyant College of Optical Sciences in 2025 after previously working in the medical field as a medical scribe. I support the students and faculty in LOL with administrative services such as ordering lab materials and managing paperwork for lab travel finances. In my free time, I enjoy playing with her pets, cooking, and taking as many art classes as she can.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n

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Alumni<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n
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Carolyn Hokin, MS Optical Sciences 2025\u00a0<\/h3>\r\n<\/div>\r\n

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Thesis: Stability of Thin Films and Stress from Ultrafast Laser-Induced Nanograting Structures<\/p>\r\n

Winona Esher, MS Optical Sciences 2025<\/h3>\r\n

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Thesis: Surface Roughness Arising from Ultrafast Laser Techniques Performed on Glass for Fabricating X-ray Optics<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n

Josh Richards, MS Mechanical Engineering 2024<\/h3>\r\n
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Thesis: Investigation of Correction Capabilities of Ultrafast Laser Stress Figuring for Advanced Optical Fabrication<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n

Caroline Humphreys, MS Optical Sciences 2024\u00a0<\/h3>\r\n

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Thesis: Impact of Nanograting Direction on Ultrafast Laser Stress Generation in Fused Silica Glass<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n

Hayden Wisniewski, PhD Optical Sciences 2023<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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Dissertation: Surface Metrology Methods for X-ray Telescope Mirrors, Freeforms, and Heliostats<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Alex St. Peter, M.S. Optical Sciences 2023<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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Thesis: Estimation of ultrafast laser-induced stress in fused silica from evaluation of stress birefringence<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Alyssa Baller, M.S. Optical Sciences 2022<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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Report: Systematic evaluation of the OSIRIS-REx PolyCam<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n

Ian Arnold, Research Engineer<\/h3>\r\n
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Brandon Chalifoux, Assistant Professor Prior to joining the College of Optical Sciences (2020-present), I completed my Ph.D. and Postdoctoral training at MIT in the Space Nanotechnology Laboratory. I completed a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering at Rice Unviersity. Aside from research and teaching, I enjoy rock climbing, mountain biking, and trying to avoid the cholla during both. Graduate students Kevin Laverty,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":91,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-11","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.optics.arizona.edu\/chalifoux\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/11","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.optics.arizona.edu\/chalifoux\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.optics.arizona.edu\/chalifoux\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.optics.arizona.edu\/chalifoux\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/91"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.optics.arizona.edu\/chalifoux\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11"}],"version-history":[{"count":91,"href":"https:\/\/wp.optics.arizona.edu\/chalifoux\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/11\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":328,"href":"https:\/\/wp.optics.arizona.edu\/chalifoux\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/11\/revisions\/328"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.optics.arizona.edu\/chalifoux\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}