Event Details & Agenda

Event at a Glance!

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Monday
oct 19

tuesday
oct 20

wednesday
oct 21

📍 Student Union Ballroom

  • Alumni Career Panel and Lunch
  • Student Poster Session
  • Corporate Showcase

📍 GCRB Ground Floor

  • Networking Breakfast (Reserved for OSC Faculty, Attending Industry Members, and by Invite Only)
  • Keynote & Presentations
  • Lunch at Bear Down Building
  • Photonics Panel
  • Open Labs​

📍 GCRB Ground Floor

  • Continental Breakfast (Reserved for Attending Industry Members)
  • Student Interviews

Speakers

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Garrett Cole

Nelson E. Claytor Endowed Chair in Optical Sciences Associate Professor of Optical Sciences

Title:

Precision Photonics: From Optical Clocks to Gravitational Waves

Abstract:

Advances in precision photonics are now enabling capabilities that were once considered unattainable, from clocks capable of measuring minute changes in Earth’s gravitational potential to detectors that observe collisions between black holes and neutron stars across the universe. These achievements reflect decades of progress in optics and photonics, yet they represent only the beginning of what will ultimately be possible. In this talk, I will share my personal journey through academia, national laboratories, industry, and entrepreneurship while discussing how innovations in optical materials and manufacturing have helped drive this progress. Using the development and commercialization of crystalline optical coatings as a case study, I will illustrate how fundamental research can evolve into an enabling technology and reflect on lessons learned during the transition from the laboratory to the commercial marketplace. I will also explore emerging opportunities including quantum technologies, integrated photonics, advanced laser systems, and next-generation sensing platforms. As optics continues to expand its influence across nearly every technical sector, strong partnerships between universities and industry will play an increasingly important role in transforming scientific discovery into real-world impact. My goal is to highlight not only the remarkable advances already achieved, but also the exciting opportunities that lie ahead for the broader optics and photonics community.

Bio:

Assoc. Prof. Garrett D. Cole is the Nelson E. Claytor Endowed Chair in Optical Sciences at the Wyant College of Optical Sciences. Cole earned his Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of California, Santa Barbara, in 2005. He began his career at Aerius Photonics and later held research positions at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the Austrian Academy of Sciences, and Universität Wien. In 2012, he co-founded Crystalline Mirror Solutions, a spin-off commercializing semiconductor supermirrors for precision metrology. The company was acquired by Thorlabs in 2019, where Cole served as Managing Director of Thorlabs Crystalline Solutions before joining the faculty at U of A.

His work has earned international recognition, including the LIGHT2015 Young Photonics Entrepreneur Award, the Berthold Leibinger Innovationspreis, the SPIE Prism Award, and election as a Fellow of Optica. Named to the Photonics100 in 2024, Cole continues to advance optical coating technologies, mid-infrared applications, and quantum hardware solutions while mentoring the next generation of optical scientists.

Jeff Pyun

Joint Professor of Optical Sciences

Title: From Elemental Sulfur to Photopatternable Polymers:  A New Solution for Photonic Hardware 

Abstract: Polymeric materials offer compelling opportunities for scalable optical and photonic devices, but conventional optical polymers remain limited by low refractive indices and restricted infrared transparency. Our groups at the University of Arizona have developed new classes of optical polymers using molecular design and sulfur-rich chemistry to address these limitations. Early work on refractive index contrast polymers enabled direct photochemical patterning of polymer waveguides and optical interconnects. More recently, high refractive index polymers derived from commodity sulfur feedstocks enabled single-mode waveguides, optical splitters, ring resonators, and phase-shifted Bragg gratings. Our current efforts focus on photopatternable sulfur plastic glasses designed for thin-film optical manufacturing. A new disulfide glass photopolymer (Photo-DSG) combines high refractive index and optical transparency with maskless photolithography and UV-assisted nanoimprint lithography. Photo-DSG enables high-fidelity micro- and nanoscale patterning for diffraction gratings, two-dimensional photonic structures, and phase-only computer-generated holograms. Together, these results establish sulfur polymer chemistry as an emerging materials platform for scalable integrated and diffractive photonics spanning visible and infrared wavelengths. 

Bio: Professor Jeffrey Pyun is currently a Professor in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and a Professor in the Wyant College of Optical Sciences at the University of Arizona. Prof. Pyun’s research interests focus on the synthesis, self-assembly, characterization and device evaluation of novel polymers, nanoparticles, and nanocomposites materials. He is currently working on materials that are anticipated to broadly impact the areas of optical polymeric materials, photonics, sustainable polymer chemistry, sulfur utilization, photocatalysis-solar fuels and energy storage technologies. In 2002, he obtained his Ph.D. in Chemistry with Prof. Krzysztof Matyjaszewski at Carnegie Mellon University working in the area of controlled radical polymerization applied to the synthesis of organic/inorganic hybrid materials. He then moved on to postdoctoral research in a joint position with Prof. Jean M.J. Fréchet and Prof. Craig J. Hawker at the IBM Almaden Research Center from 2002-2004 focusing on the synthesis of complex macromolecular architectures for catalysis. Since 2009, he has also served as a World Class University Professor and Adjunct Professor, in the School of Chemical & Biological Engineering at Seoul National University. Prof. Pyun’s research contributions has also been recognized by the University of Arizona with the Innovation and Impact Award from Tech Launch Arizona and was named the Academic Innovator of the Year in 2017 from the State of Arizona. He was also appointed as a Kavli Fellow (2011), an American Chemical Society PMSE Fellow (2019), admitted into the National Academy of Inventors (2019) and named a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (2021). Prof. Pyun was recently named the first recipient of the University Distinguished Innovation and Entrepreneurship Award from the University of Arizona (2022). Prof. Pyun is also an Adjunct Professor to the faculty at Pusan National University in the Department of Chemistry and a Visiting Professor, Adjunct Professor at Korea University in the Department of Chemical Engineering since 2020 and Visiting Professor in the College of Engineering at Hanyang University.

Daniel Soh

Associate Professor of Optical Sciences

Title: Computing Before the Detector: Optical Reservoirs Computing for Low-Power Inference

Abstract: Optical front ends generate data faster than the electronics behind them can afford to digitize, move, and multiply. Reservoir computing proposes a different division of labor: let an optical system’s own dynamics perform the nonlinear feature map, and train only a linear readout. All-optical versions of this already run on real hardware.

Bio: Daniel Soh is an Associate Professor of Optical Sciences and of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Arizona, where he leads the Soh Lab. His research spans quantum and photonic reservoir computing, squeezed light, and quantum sensing. He joined Arizona after 14 years at Sandia National Laboratories, holds PhDs from Southampton and Stanford, and is an inventor on 16 U.S. patents.

Yuzuru Takashima

Professor of Optical Sciences

Title: Controlling light with MEMS SLMs for optical cross-connect switch

Abstract:

We overview emerging applications employing beam and image steering with Micro Electro Mechanical System (MEMS) based Spatial Light Modulators (SLMs) as well as their potential use cases for emerging AI data center applications: Optical Cross-connect Switch, and Fiber to PIC couplers.

Bio:

Dr. Yuzuru Takashima is a tenured full professor at James C. Wyant College of Optical Sciences of University of Arizona. His research focus is MEMS-based lidar for automotives and AR near to eye displays, optical devices for AI data centers. Prior to joining the University of Arizona, he was a research staff at Stanford University where he conducted research and development of high-density holographic data storage systems and nano-photonic electron beam generators. He was employed as an optical engineer at Toshiba Corporation in Japan and developed ultra-precision manufacturing process for optical components. He is a fellow of SPIE and senior member of OPTICA. He serves as a general co-chair of SPIE Industrial Optical Systems and Devices (iODS), and 2026 OPTICA 3D conference. He received B.S. in Physics from Kyoto University in Japan and M.S. and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University. 

Weimin Zhou

Assistant Professor of Optical Sciences

Title: Computational and AI-Enabled Image Science

Abstract: Recent advances in computational methods and artificial intelligence (AI) are creating new opportunities for analyzing and optimizing imaging systems. In this talk, I will present methodological developments in computational and AI-enabled image science. I will first discuss how deep generative models can be used to learn stochastic object models from imaging data. I will then demonstrate how learned generative models can facilitate Bayesian ideal observer computation through Markov chain Monte Carlo methods. Next, I will present a novel framework for extracting task-relevant features from high-dimensional imaging data, enabling efficient observer analysis in a low-dimensional feature space. Finally, I will highlight how these computational tools can support task-based image quality assessment and guide the development of intelligent imaging systems.

Bio: Weimin Zhou is an Assistant Professor at the University of Arizona, where he directs the Computational Imaging and Visual Intelligence Laboratory (CIVIL). He holds dual appointments in the Wyant College of Optical Sciences and the Department of Radiology & Imaging Sciences, and additional appointments in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and the Program in Applied Mathematics. He is a recipient of the SPIE Community Champion Award and the SPIE Medical Imaging Cum Laude Award. His research lies at the intersection of image science and machine learning, with a focus on developing computational models and AI methods for assessing and improving image quality.

Yiqing Dong, MS Student

Title: Yeo-Johnson-transformed channelized observer for signal detection in medical imaging

Presenting on Oct 20 at 10:30 – 10:35am

Abstract:

Model observers (MOs) provide objective, task-based measures of image quality by quantifying observer performance on clinically relevant tasks. For binary signal detection, the Bayesian ideal observer (BIO) achieves optimal.

Bio:

Gordon Hageman, PhD Student

Title: Methods for Referencless Phase Imaging

Presenting on Oct 20 at 11:35 – 11:40am

Abstract:

Transparent objects often produce little intensity contrast but can strongly alter the phase of transmitted light. This phase contains information about refractive index and structure that conventional imaging may not reveal. This presentation explores non-interferometric phase-imaging methods, moving from physical intuition to quantitative computational reconstruction.

Bio:

Alaa Hamdoh, PhD Student

Title: Optical Fingerprinting: Authenticating Natural and Synthetic Gemstones via Transmission Polarization Imaging

Presenting on Oct 20 at 4:20 – 4:25am

Abstract:

Full-Stokes transmission polarization imaging characterizes brilliant round-cut gemstones, including natural diamond, chemical vapor deposition (CVD) synthetic diamond, cubic zirconia (CZ), and moissanite, establishing a non-destructive optical fingerprinting method for authentication and quality control. Experimental measurements of the degree of linear polarization (DoLP), angle of linear polarization (AoLP), and degree of circular polarization (DoCP) enable effective mapping of differences in crystal lattices and facet geometries. Inter-class analysis distinctly separates isotropic materials from birefringent ones; CZ demonstrates a symmetric, geometry-driven “Maltese cross” pattern, while moissanite exhibits pronounced, axis-dependent linear polarization.

Intra-class transmission signatures further distinguish growth origins and manufacturing variances among identical material pairs. Visually identical natural and CVD diamonds differ: natural diamonds show macroscopically symmetric patterns and a consistent secondary DoLP peak at 0.46, whereas synthetic CVD crystals show chaotic AoLP fragmentation and asymmetric DoCP distributions from growth-induced lattice stress. Transmission profiles also assess manufacturing tolerances by detecting facet-alignment discrepancies in isotropic CZ pairs and confirm exceptional crystal-axis alignment consistency across separate synthetic moissanite batches. These findings show that transmissive polarization metrology provides a robust, mathematically reliable signature for material verification and industrial quality control.

Bio:

Nate Smith, PhD Student

Title: Quantification of Vascular Development Surrounding Artificial Pancreas Using Contrast‑Enhanced μCT

Presenting on Oct 20 at 10:35 – 10:40am

Abstract:

Bioengineered implantable devices loaded with functional therapeutic cells offer a promising strategy for autonomous insulin secretion and continuous glycemic control. Assessing the degree of vascularization around implanted devices has been difficult in living animals when evaluating engraftment over the course of long-term preclinical studies. This study presents a computational method for measuring vascularization that occurs around cell-implanted devices by using contrast-enhanced micro-Computed Tomography (μCT). Although μCT offers better spatial resolution than other techniques, acquisition artifacts make it hard to see soft tissue contrast.

Bio:

Portrait Websize-23-kyle ettinger web

Kyle Ettinger, PhD Student

Title: Vibration imaging simulations using doublet-pulse digital holography

Presenting on Oct 20 at 11:25 – 11:30am

Abstract:

Digital holography measures the complex optical field and enables a sensing technique referred to as vibration imaging, which provides per-pixel vibrational data for target identification across an extended scene. We derive engineering rules of thumb for singlet-pulse and doublet-pulse vibration imaging. These describe a detection floor set by signal-to-noise ratio, an amplitude ceiling set by phase wrapping, and frequency limits set by the acquisition timing and record length. By using a high-repetition-rate laser and a nonuniform frame rate, we mitigate aliasing and recover frequencies two to three orders of magnitude above the camera Nyquist frequency. In computational wave-optics simulations, the median signal-to-noise ratio among resolved points is 1 to 4 dB above the analytical prediction.

Bio:

Feiyi Shen, PhD Student

Title: Gaze-Contingent Head-Mounted Displays via Adaptive Pupil Steering for High Light Efficiency and Brightness Uniformity

Presenting on Oct 20 at 11:30 – 11:35am

Abstract:

Low optical efficiency in near-eye displays results primarily from pupil-size mismatch between the eyebox and eye pupil and étendue mismatch between the display engine and eyepiece. We propose an adaptive pupil steering architecture using a programmable light source array and condenser optics to electronically control the position, size, and shape of the active eyebox. A benchtop prototype verified pupil shaping and steering across the eyebox. The average perceived optical efficiency measured was 2.26%, thereby providing an improvement in perceived optical efficiency by a factor of 9.42 over the conventional near-eye display configuration. Gaze-dependent source modulation further reduced field-dependent virtual-image luminance variation, demonstrating simultaneous enhancement of optical efficiency and luminance uniformity.

Bio:

Shriniketh Sreevatsan, PhD Student

Title: Ultrafast Imaging at MHz Burst Rates Using a Digital Micromirror Device

Presenting on Oct 20 at 11:20 – 11:25am

Abstract:

Ultrafast imaging captures dynamics that are too fast for conventional cameras, with applications ranging from nuclear science, where it resolves shock wave propagation, to biomedicine, where it tracks rapid cell motion. Existing systems force a compromise. Sequentially triggered camera arrays tie the number of frames to the number of sensors, so a longer sequence requires more cameras while the burst rate stays limited by how quickly each sensor can be gated. Compressed ultrafast photography (CUP) captures many frames in a single exposure but recovers them through computational reconstruction, which lowers image fidelity and adds a heavy processing burden that makes the system difficult to deploy.
 
We instead use a digital micromirror device (DMD), an array of millions of individually tiltable micromirrors, as a time-to-space converter. It is reported that The DMD is  repurposed  for beam and image steering in display and LiDAR with pulsed synchronized illumination, is a programmable blazed grating: each micromirror acts as a grating facet whose tilt sets the blaze angle, so the mirror position selects which diffraction order carries the light. We continuous wave illumination,  as the mirrors sweep through their full swing, the blaze angle changes continuously and steers the beam through successive diffraction orders, and because each order emerges at a different instant, every order becomes a time-stamped snapshot. A single camera exposure then records a sequence of frames instead of one blurred image.
 
Previously, we demonstrated this at high speed by overdriving the DMD to an 80 kHz full continuous swing, which sweeps a 532 nm beam through 17 sequential diffraction orders and places the resulting frames at MHz burst rates. Using this concept, we then imaged a bulk MEMS mirror resonating at 20 kHz: without the DMD its rapid flipping appears only as a blur, and by synchronizing the DMD swing to the object we were able to slow the apparent motion so that the flipping becomes resolvable. We propose to extend this to fully freezing the motion, with each diffraction order recording a distinct time-stamped view so that the DMD acts as a complete time-to-space converter. We also propose to scan the beam across the DMD with a second element such as an acousto-optic deflector (AOD), which adds a spatial dimension and increases the number of orders, and therefore the number of frames, without sacrificing the burst rate or imaging speed of the system.

Bio:

Isack Padilla, PhD Student

Title: Non-Markovian delay-assisted sensing with waveguide-coupled quantum emitters

Presenting on Oct 20 at 3:55 – 4:00pm

Abstract:

We show that in a minimal setup of two waveguide-coupled quantum emitters, separated by long distances and subject to an external field, time-delayed feedback can be a resource for sensing field gradients. While the field gradient induces a detuning between the emitters; the large interatomic separations render the system dynamics non-Markovian. We show that the quantum Fisher information (QFI) for estimating the detuning parameter, and thereby the field gradient, is enhanced in the presence of non-Markovian delay. Such an enhancement can be attributed to the formation of atom-photon quasi-bound states that enable the field to interact with the emitters for longer times, thereby gaining more information about their relative detunings. Additionally, in the presence of delay, the interaction between the emitters is mediated via multiple spectral modes of the field, further enhancing the sensing capabilities of the system. Our results establish non-Markovian time-delayed feedback and multimode reservoirs as a resource for distributed quantum sensing with waveguide-coupled quantum emitters.

Bio:

Sadafi Neshat, PhD Student

 Title: Toward a reconfigurable photonic integrated mode sorter for optomechanical sensing

Presenting on Oct 20 at 3:50 – 3:55pm

Abstract:

Spatial mode demultiplexing (SPADE) has recently emerged as a platform for quantum-limited measurement and control of nanomechanical resonators; however, taking full advantage of this approach requires reconfigurable coherent manipulation of multiple spatial modes. Here we introduce a reconfigurable SPADE architecture based
on a free-space multi-plane light converter (MPLC) interfaced with a low-loss, tunable 3×3 Clements interferometer mesh implemented on a photonic integrated circuit (PIC). The Clements mesh implements arbitrary unitary transformations through thermo-optic phase shifting, enabling dynamic control of the relative amplitudes and phases of multiple modes within a programmable spatial-mode processor. We present initial characterization of the fabricated PIC, including waveguide propagation losses as low as ∼ 0.015 dB/cm, together with coupling
loss and Mach-Zehnder interferometer performance. Finally, we analyze adaptive illumination and structured homodyne readout of a membrane resonator with a three-channel Hermite-Gauss mode transceiver, illustrating the potential of the scalable hybrid PIC-SPADE architecture for quantum-limited optomechanical sensing.

Bio:

Tyler ten Broek, PhD Student

Title: Cryogenic Adiabtic Coupling Waveguides for Photonic Interconnects

Presenting on Oct 20 at 4:25 – 4:30pm

Abstract:

With advances in aerospace and quantum information technologies, demand for cryogenically compatible photonics is growing. However, packaging technology for photonic integrated circuits (PICs) remains underdeveloped, especially for cryogenic applications. Available materials for these solutions are relatively limited, primarily semiconductors. The unique material properties of polymers, such as negative thermo-optic coefficients, low density, composition-tunable refractive index, and manufacturing versatility, allow them to fill gaps in this technological space.

 

We present a new cryogenically compatible polymer coupler that adiabatically expands the guided mode from a PIC to an optical fiber using a polymer waveguide that is evanescently coupled to a buried silicon nitride taper. The waveguides are made with commercially available polymers and are fabricated using UV lithography, making them low-cost to produce. Our focus is on demonstrating that these waveguides can be used in cryogenic environments through detailed characterization of their performance at low temperatures.

Bio:

Poster Presenters & Open Labs

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Image Science

John Bass

PhD

Faculty Mentor: Florian Willomitzer

Poster Title

Covert Feedback-Free Alignment of Free-Space Optical Communication Systems

Yiqing Dong

MS

Faculty Mentor: Weimin Zhou

Poster Title

Yeo-Johnson-transformed channelized observer for signal detection in medical imaging

Gordon Hageman

PhD

Faculty Mentor: David Brady and Florian Willomitzer

Poster Title

Referenceless Computational Wavefront Sensing

Alaa Hamdoh

PhD

Faculty Mentor: Stanley Pau

Poster Title

Non-Destructive Authentication of Gemstones using Full-Stokes Polarization Imaging

Jaclyn John

PhD

Faculty Mentor: Meredith Kupinski

Poster Title

Detecting Ice-Water Phase Transition with LWIR Thermo-Polarimetry

Eden McEwen

PhD

Faculty Mentor: Jared Males

Poster Title

Optical gain three ways: comparing on-sky, real-time wavefront sensor gain calibrations with MagAO-X

Nate Smith

MS

Faculty Mentor: Lars Furenlid

Poster Title

Quantification of Vascular Development Surrounding Artificial Pancreas Using Contrast-Enhanced μCT

Tianyi Wang

PhD

Faculty Mentor: Florian Willomitzer

Poster Title

Robust and Accurate Iterative Slope Integration for Deflectometry

Aileen Zhang

PhD

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Yeran Bai

Poster Title

Chemical Identification of Microplastics at Sub-Micron Resolution Using Mid-Infrared Photothermal Imaging

Optical Engineering

Solvay Blomquist

PhD

Faculty Mentor: Daewook Kim

Poster Title

Tiny Observatory for Telescope Optimization (TOTO): testing algorithms for autonomous on-orbit alignment for space-based telescope systems

Mason Cipollini

MS

Faculty Mentor: Mehmetcan Akbulut

Poster Title

Distributed Fiber Acoustic Sensing for Seismic Detection

Jackson Dahn

PhD

Faculty Mentor: Felipe Guzman

Poster Title

ODIN: The Optomechanical Dris

Peter Dean-Erlander

PhD

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Ron Driggers

Poster Title

Downlink Speckle Mitigation via Polychromatic Laser Sources

Kyle Ettinger

PhD

Faculty Mentor: Mark Spencer

Poster Title

Vibration imaging simulations using doublet-pulse digital holography

Alana Gonzales

PhD

Faculty Mentor: Jennifer Barton

Poster Title

Development of a High-Resolution Imaging Probe for Detection of Inflammatory Breast Cancer

Amy Hermann

PhD

Faculty Mentor: Ronald Driggers

Poster Title

Field Comparison of SWIR and eSWIR Laser Range Gated Imaging

Ian Kingsolver

PhD

Faculty Mentor: Mark Spencer

Poster Title

Jitter coupling and uplink scintillation characterization for active tracking

Chance Lawrence

PhD

Faculty Mentor: Ronald Driggers

Poster Title

Integration time limits of strap-down pilotage sensors

Nicolas Malamug

PhD

Faculty Mentor: Mark Spencer

Poster Title

Benchtop Simulation of Atmospheric Turbulence in Optical Systems

Ryan McCrory

PhD

Faculty Mentor: Mark Spencer

Poster Title

Tiled array tilt compensation using a G-tilt approximation

Ramses Miranda Espino

PhD

Faculty Mentor: Felipe Guzman

Poster Title

Picometer optical metrology for future space observatories

Alfred Moore

PhD

Faculty Mentor: Ronald Driggers

Poster Title

Characterization of motion blur in quadcopter unmanned aerial vehicles

Patrick Nagle

BS

Faculty Mentor: Not provided

Poster Title

Determining optimal compression parameters for passive drone detection

Saruul Nasanjargal

PhD

Faculty Mentor: Felipe Guzman

Poster Title

Ultra-high precision thermometry

Trevor Owens

MS

Faculty Mentor: Mark Spencer

Poster Title

Uplink scintillation mitigation via incoherent beam combination

Sai Krishanth Pulikesi Mannan

MS

Faculty Mentor: Ewan S. Douglas

Poster Title

O Mirror Where Art Thou?

Jordan Rubis

PhD

Faculty Mentor: Ronald Driggers

Poster Title

Infrared Imaging in Rain

Feiyi Shen

PhD

Faculty Mentor: Hong Hua

Poster Title

Gaze-Contingent Head-Mounted Displays via Adaptive Pupil Steering for High Light Efficiency and Brightness Uniformity

Linden Solgonick

BS

Faculty Mentor: NA

Poster Title

Modeling an Infrared Liquid Crystal Eye Polarimeter in ZEMAX

Shriniketh Sreevatsan

PhD

Faculty Mentor: Yuzuru Takashima

Poster Title

Ultrafast Imaging at MHz Burst Rates Using a Digital Micromirror Device

Jeremiah Stoddart

PhD

Faculty Mentor: Felipe Guzman

Poster Title

ODIN (Optomechanical Distributed Inertial Navigation and Sensing)

Joshua Teague

PhD

Faculty Mentor: Ron Driggers

Poster Title

Electronic FMCW Active Imaging

Siddharth Vats

PhD

Faculty Mentor: Daniel Soh

Poster Title

Title TBD

Optical Physics

Lisset Ayala

PhD

Faculty Mentor: Mehmetcan Akbulut

Poster Title

Experimental demonstration of digital holography with an engineered beam

John Cobes

MS

Faculty Mentor: Mark F. Spencer

Poster Title

Impact of Beam Quality Degradations on Adaptive Optics Performance

Hope Dannar

PhD

Faculty Mentor: R. Jason Jones

Poster Title

Dual-Comb Spectroscopy of Heavy Metals

Liam Frank

PhD

Faculty Mentor: Jason Jones

Poster Title

Novel Spectroscopic Laser Systems for Nuclear National Security

Isack Padilla

PhD

Faculty Mentor: Kanu Sinha

Poster Title

Non-Markovian delay-assisted sensing with waveguide-coupled quantum emitters

Neshat Sadafi

PhD

Faculty Mentor: Dal Wilson

Poster Title

Toward a reconfigurable photonic integrated mode sorter for optomechanical sensing

Laura Sawyer

PhD

Faculty Mentor: Vanessa Huxter

Poster Title

Ultrafast time-resolved spectroscopy methods for photocatalytic and radical mechanisms

Qixuan Wan

MS

Faculty Mentor: Xiaodong Yan

Poster Title

Title TBD

Photonics

Diego Di Vanni

BS

Faculty Mentor: Not provided

Poster Title

Compact LIDAR system for distance and velocity measurements

Anwar Gatto

BS

Faculty Mentor: Not provided

Poster Title

Low Temperature Processes to Synthesize Novel Phase Change Glass Films

Kristy Hudgins

BS

Faculty Mentor: Not provided

Poster Title

Visualizing Molecular Sensing with a Whispering Gallery Mode Microtoroid Resonator in an Interactive 3D Environment

Olive Mehrer

PhD

Faculty Mentor: Mehmetcan Akbulut and Mark Spencer

Poster Title

Coherent Laser Illuminator for Interferometric Applications

Tyler ten Broek

PhD

Faculty Mentor: Robert Norwood

Poster Title

Cryogenic Adiabatic Coupling Waveguides for Photonic Interconnects

Explore the innovative research taking place throughout the Wyant College of Optical Sciences. During the Open Labs session, attendees are invited to visit participating laboratories, meet faculty and researchers, and learn about cutting-edge work in optical engineering, imaging, photonics, and physics.

Image Science 

Faculty
Meredith Kupinski

Lab Leader
Abhiman Gupta

Location
Meinel Room 457

Image Science 

Faculty
Meredith Kupinski

Lab Leader
Jaclyn John

Location
Meinel Room 467

Image Science 

Faculty
Yeran Bai

Lab Leader
Aileen Zhang

Location
Meinel Room 672

Image Science 

Faculty
Meredith Kupinski

Lab Leader
Lily McKenna

Location
Meinel Room 767

Optical Engineering

Faculty
Rongguang Liang

Lab Leader
Yihan Wang

Location
Meinel Room 106E

Optical Engineering

Faculty
Rongguang Liang

Lab Leader
Ruilin You

Location
Meinel Room 106J

Optical Engineering

Faculty
Ronald Driggers

Lab Leader
Jordan Rubis,
Amy Hermann

Location
Meinel Room 453

Optical Engineering

Faculty
John Koshel

Lab Leader
Yong Xin “Kongo” Lai

Location
Meinel Room 664

Optical Engineering

Faculty
Mark Spencer

Lab Leader
Kyle Ettinger,
Nico Malamug

Location
Meinel Rooms
658 & 660

Optical Engineering

Faculty
Hong Hua

Lab Leader
Yue Tian,
Feiyi Shen

Location
Meinel Room 757

Optical Physics

Faculty
Cristian Panda

Lab Leader
Cristian Panda

Location
Meinel Room 106GH

Optical Physics

Faculty
Jason Jones

Lab Leader
Charlie Chisholm

Location
Meinel Room 656

Photonics

Faculty
Robert Norwood

Lab Leader
Dr. Kyung-Jo Kim

Location
Meinel Room 207

Photonics

Faculty
Xiushan Zhu

Lab Leader
Joshua Lee

Location
Meinel Room 215

Photonics

Faculty
Xiushan Zhu

Lab Leader
Shaam Nobel

Location
Meinel Room 227

Photonics

Faculty
Robert Norwood

Lab Leader
Matthew Malaker

Location
Meinel Room 506/506A

Photonics

Faculty
Khan Kiew

Lab Leader
Lam Nguyen

Location
Meinel Room 662

Photonics

Faculty
Euan McLeod

Lab Leader
Sid Liu,
Eliza Ballantyne

Location
Meinel Room 667

Image Science 

Faculty
Florian Willomitzer

Lab Leader
Jiazgang Wang, James Taylor

Location
GCRB Room 255

Image Science 

Faculty
Dongkyun Kang

Lab Leader
Momoka Sugimura

Location
GCRB Room 321

Optical Engineering

Faculty
Brandon Chalifoux

Lab Leader
Peikun Guo

Location
GCRB Room 015

Optical Engineering

Faculty
Felipe Guzman

Lab Leader
Felipe Guzman, Jose Sanjuan

Location
GCRB Rooms 045, 050, & 055

Optical Engineering

Faculty
Ronald Driggers

Lab Leader
Joshua Teague,
Peter Dean-Erlander

Location
GCRB Room 213

Optical Engineering

Faculty
Ronald Driggers

Lab Leader
Chance Lawrence,
Alfred Moore

Location
GCRB Room 215

Optical Engineering

Faculty
Yuzuru Takashima

Lab Leader
Jeff Chen, Tianyao Zhang, Yexin Pei, Avion Lowery, Keyang Wei, Shriniketh Nick Sreevatsan

Location
GCRB Rooms
225 & 325

Optical Engineering

Faculty
Hong Hua

Lab Leader
Daniel Shevelev,
Qiwen Gan

Location
GCRB Room 245

Optical Physics

Faculty
Dalziel Wilson

Lab Leader
Morgan Choi, Atkin Hyatt, Dalziel Wilson

Location
GCRB Rooms 070

Panels & Discussions

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Join the Wyant College of Optical Sciences for an engaging Alumni Career Panel & Lunch on October 19 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Student Union Memorial Ballroom. Hear firsthand career advice from OSC alumni representing a range of professional paths, including entrepreneurship, aerospace and national laboratory research, and applications engineering in industry. Featured panelists include Joel Berkson (CEO, Fringe Metrology), Christine Bradley (Optical Engineer, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory), and Dominique “Nikki” Galvez (Application Engineer, Ansys). Bring your questions and gain valuable insights on career decisions, graduate school, work-life balance, and opportunities across the optics and photonics industry. Lunch will be provided.

Moderator: Katie Twitchell

Bio: Katie Twitchell graduated from the Wyant College of Optical Sciences in 2024 with her degree in Optical Sciences and Engineering and is currently a 3rd year Ph.D. Student in Optical Sciences. She is a National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate fellow, and her research focuses on hardware and software for Adaptive Optics. She currently works with the extreme adaptive optics system MagAO-X for the Magellan Telescope at Las Campanas Observatory in Chile, which has an end goal of imaging earth-like planets orbiting around other stars.

joel berkson

Joel Berkson

Bio: Joel Berkson is a native Tucsonan, earning his BS, MS, and PhD in Optical Sciences at UArizona. His PhD research focuses on techniques for building telescopes, but upon graduation, he founded Fringe Metrology in 2024 to advance precision metrology techniques for flat surfaces across a wide range of applications in semiconductors, materials, and other high sensitivity applications.

Christine Bradley

Bio: Christine L. Bradley received her B.S. and PhD degrees in Optical Science and Engineering from the University of Arizona, College of Optical Sciences. She is an Optical Engineer and Deputy Section Manager of the Optics & Spectroscopy Section at Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA. She’s been awarded the JPL Charles Elachi Award and NASA Honor Achievement Medal for Exceptional Engineering in the development of novel alignment methodologies for the Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT) Instrument.

Matthew Chidley

Bio: Matthew Chidley received his PhD in Optical Sciences from the University of Arizona in 2005. He has a BS and MS in Mechanical Engineering from the Ohio State University. In all, Matt has 28+ years of optics experience, including 21 years supporting airborne and space ISR applications. He specializes in optical design and analysis in Zemax, optical metrology, optical alignment, and optical system-level testing. Previously he served 7 years in technical management and currently leads RFI/RFP support to the CACI-Danbury Business Development group. Most importantly, Matt loves to mentor junior Optical Engineers.

Nikki Galvez

Bio: Dominique 'Nikki' Galvez graduated from the Wyant College's undergraduate program in May 2021 and the PhD program in August 2025. Her previous work at the College was in biomedical optics developing a micro-endoscope for early detection of ovarian cancer. Currently, she works as an Application Engineer at Ansys part of Synopsys, focusing on applications of Zemax OpticStudio and Lumerical. There, she designs new courses, content, and tools for OpticStudio and Lumerical learners, as well as directly supports users from across the field of optical sciences by helping bring their ideas into simulation.

Tuesday, October 20, 2026, from 2:10 PM – 3:10 PM

A panel discussion featuring leaders from academia and industry exploring the future of integrated photonics and semiconductor manufacturing.

Moderator: Robert Norwood

Professor of Optical Sciences, Professor of Materials Science and Engineering

Robert A. Norwood is a Professor in the Wyant College of Optical Sciences at the University of Arizona, where he performs research on photonic materials and devices.  Dr. Norwood spent 15 years in R&D leadership positions in industry at both Fortune 100 corporations (Honeywell) and venture-capital backed startups (VP/CTO of Photon-X).  He founded Norcon Technologies in 2017 to commercialize novel hybrid chalcogenide optical polymers developed at the University of Arizona.  He is a world expert in integrated photonics, nonlinear optics and optical materials, with more than 215 refereed journal publications, 7 book chapters, 50 issued US patents, and 90 invited talks.   Dr. Norwood has served on the program committees for OFC (sub-committee chair) and CLEO.  He has been an associate editor of Optica, IEEE Photonics Technology Letters and Optical Materials Express.  Dr. Norwood is a Fellow of Optica, SPIE and the National Academy of Inventors, as well as a member of APS.  He holds the Ph.D. in physics from the University of Pennsylvania, and B.S.’s in physics and mathematics from MIT.

Garrett Cole

Associate Professor, Nelson E. Claytor Endowed Chair in Optical Sciences

Assoc. Prof. Garrett D. Cole is the Nelson E. Claytor Endowed Chair in Optical Sciences at the Wyant College of Optical Sciences. Cole earned his Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of California, Santa Barbara, in 2005. He began his career at Aerius Photonics and later held research positions at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the Austrian Academy of Sciences, and Universität Wien. In 2012, he co-founded Crystalline Mirror Solutions, a spin-off commercializing semiconductor supermirrors for precision metrology. The company was acquired by Thorlabs in 2019, where Cole served as Managing Director of Thorlabs Crystalline Solutions before joining the faculty at U of A.

His work has earned international recognition, including the LIGHT2015 Young Photonics Entrepreneur Award, the Berthold Leibinger Innovationspreis, the SPIE Prism Award, and election as a Fellow of Optica. Named to the Photonics100 in 2024, Cole continues to advance optical coating technologies, mid-infrared applications, and quantum hardware solutions while mentoring the next generation of optical scientists.

Carl Dohrman

Associate Director, Raytheon Advanced Technology Business Unit

Dr. Carl Dohrman is an Associate Director leading a portfolio of integrated photonics programs for Raytheon’s Advanced Technology business unit. He is the principal investigator of Raytheon’s project under the DARPA HAPPI program, which is developing integrated chip-to-chip photonic interconnect technology. He is also the PI of a program to develop a domestic manufacturing line for thin film lithium niobate (TFLN) wafers. Prior to Raytheon, Carl was a SETA at DARPA for over eight years, where he served as a subject matter expert in integrated RF and photonic materials, devices, and systems. Carl’s Ph.D. thesis pioneered a novel multilayer substrate for heterogeneous integration, which was adopted by Raytheon on the DARPA COSMOS program to demonstrate advanced InP BiCMOS circuits. Carl received a B.S. degree from the University of Illinois and a Ph.D from MIT, both in materials science for electronics and photonics.

Nasser Peyghambarian

Professor Emeritus, Optical Sciences Chief Technical Officer

Nasser Peyghambarian, Phd, is the Technical Director of the Center for Semiconductor Manufacturing at University of Arizona (UA). He was the Chair of Photonics and Lasers at the College of Optical Sciences at UA (1991-2022) and Director of Optics Engineering at Amazon (2022-2025) developing augmented reality products. He was the Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering Research Center (2008-2019) that was focused on introducing silicon photonics in data centers and access aggregation networks. He was the Associate Director of NSF Science and Technology Center (2006-2013) that was focused on introducing polymeric materials in silicon photonics and information systems. He has made significant contributions in the areas of photonics and optoelectronics and supervised more than 70 Phds, 80 MS and 100 postdocs and research scientists. He has over 700 scientific publications and has given 740 invited papers. His H-index is 102 based on Google Scholar. He has authored a textbook on “introduction to Semiconductor Optics” and has 45 patents granted. He founded several venture-funded start-ups including NP Photonics, CM Laser, and EARDG, two of which were acquired by Fortune 500 companies. He is a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, a Fellow of Optica, the American Physical Society and the Society for the Advancement of Science.

Srinivas Pietambaram

Senior Principal Engineer, Substrate Packaging Technology Development Organization (SPTD), Intel Corporation

Dr. Srinivas Pietambaram is a Senior Principal Engineer in Substrate Packaging Technology Development Organization (SPTD) of Intel Foundry, Intel Corporation. He is the technical lead responsible for driving disruptive packaging technologies and innovations with a recent focus on glass core substrates and Co-Packaged Optics. Srini is the recipient of the Intel Inventor of the year for 2023 and has authored over 1000 patent publications worldwide, 20+ technical papers in prestigious journals, and multiple trade secrets in packaging process / architecture / materials technologies, several of which are key to SPTD’s future technology packaging roadmap, He received his Ph.D. in Materials Science & Engineering from University of Florida in 2001 and worked with Motorola Labs for 10 years before joining Intel in 2011. Outside of work, Srini likes to spend time and travel with his family and enjoys listening to Indian Carnatic Music. He is also an avid sports fan with a special liking to Cricket and Gator Football.  

Agenda

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📍 Student Union Ballroom 

10:00am – 1:00pm

IA Corporate Showcase Set Up

11:00am – 1:30pm

Alumni Career Panel with Lunch

1:30pm – 3:30pm

Student Poster Session

2:00pm – 3:00pm

Headshots Photo Opportunity

3:30pm – 6:30pm 

IA Member Corporate Showcase

5:00pm – 6:00pm

Headshots Photo Opportunity

6:30pm – 7:00pm 

Showcase Break Down and Pack-Up

📍 GCRB Ground Floor

 

8:15 – 9:15  

Welcome Breakfast

Reserved for OSC Faculty, Attending Industry Members, and by Invite Only

9:00 – 9:15 Group Photo
9:15 – 9:30 

Workshop Welcome

Dean Brian Anderson

9:30 – 10:10  

Keynote Speaker

Garrett Cole

10:10 – 10:30

Faculty Talk

Weimin Zhou

10:30 – 10:35

Student Talk

Yiqing Dong, Yeo-Johnson-transformed channelized observer for signal detection in medical imaging

10:35 – 10:40

Student Talk

Nate Smith, Quantification of Vascular Development Surrounding Artificial Pancreas Using ContrastEnhanced μCT

10:40 – 11:00Break
11:00 – 11:20

Faculty Talk

Yuzuru Takashima

11:20 – 11:25

Student Talk

Shriniketh Sreevatsen, Ultrafast Imaging at MHz Burst Rates Using a Digital Micromirror Device

11:25 – 11:30

Student Talk

Kyle Ettinger, Vibration imaging simulations using doublet-pulse digital holography

11:30 – 11:35

Student Talk

Feiyi Shen, Gaze-Contingent Head-Mounted Displays via Adaptive Pupil Steering for High Light Efficiency and Brightness Uniformity

11:35 – 11:40

Student Talk

Gordon Hageman, Methods for Referenceless Phase Imaging

11:40 – 11:50         Walk to Bear Down Gym
11:50 – 1:10 Lunch
1:10 – 1:20 Walk back to GCRB
1:20 – 1:25 

Academics Update
John Koshel, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, Professor of Practice

1:25 – 1:35 

Optics Technician Training at Pima Community College
Katie Schwertz, Optics Valley Chair

1:35 – 1:50 

SOCk & OFA Presentation

Presenters: Isabella Aguilera-Cuenca (OFA), Aileen Zhang (OFA), Sofia Centeno (SOCk), Suhaani Sodhi (SOCk)

1:50 – 2:10 

Industry Update

Tom Hausken, Senior Science Advisor, Optica 

2:10 – 3:10 

PICS are the Pick: The Era of Photonic Integrated Circuits (PIC), Panel Discussion

Nasser Peyghambarian, Garrett Cole, Carl Dohman, Robert Norwood

3:10 – 3:30 Break
3:30 – 3:50 

Faculty Talk

Daniel Soh

3:50 – 3:55 

Student Talk

Sadafi Neshat, Toward a reconfigurable photonic integrated mode sorter for optomechanical sensing

3:55 – 4:00 

Student Talk

Isack Padilla, Non-Markovian delay-assisted sensing with waveguide-coupled quantum emitters

4:00 – 4:20 

Faculty Talk

Jeff Pyun

4:20 – 4:25 

Student Talk

Alaa Hamdoh, Non-Destructive Authentication of Gemstones using Full-Stokes Polarization Imaging

4:25 – 4:30 

Student Talk

Tyler ten Broek, Cyrogenic Adiabatic Coupling Waveguides for Photonic Interconnects

4:30 – 4:50 Break
4:30 – 6:00 Open Labs
4:50 – 6:00 Curriculum & Workforce Round Table

📍 GCRB Ground Floor

8:00 – 9:00

Continental Breakfast (Reserved for Attending Industry Members)

9:00 – 5:00

Student Interviews

Thank You for Attending

We appreciate your participation in the Industrial Affiliates Workshop & Showcase.
Before you leave, please complete the following surveys:

Fall 2026 Industrial Affiliate Showcase & Workshop Event Evaluation

Fall 2026 Industry Survey on OSC Academic Programs

Participating Industry Partners

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Amazon Leo

A new era of internet is coming. Make seamless video calls, stream 4K videos, and accelerate downloads and uploads—all at once. Amazon Leo is designed to handle your whole family's internet needs with a fast, reliable connection.

Ansys

For more than 50 years, Ansys engineering simulation software has enabled innovators across industries to push boundaries using the predictive power of simulation. The next great leaps in human advancement will be powered by Ansys.

Edmund Optics

With over 80 years of experience, Edmund Optics® is a trusted provider of high-quality optical components and solutions, serving industries like Life Sciences, Biomedical, Industrial Inspection, Semiconductor, and R&D. The company employs 1,300+ people across 19 global locations and continues to grow.

Honeywell Aerospace

Keysight Technologies, Inc.

The future does not begin when a breakthrough reaches the market. It begins earlier, when innovators first ask whether a new idea, system, or technology will work. Keysight helps innovators answer that question with confidence. With leading design, emulation, and test solutions, deep measurement expertise, and close collaboration across the technology ecosystem, we help teams validate sooner, reduce risk, and bring breakthrough innovations to market faster.

MKS, Inc.

Newport Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of MKS Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ: MKSI ), is a leading global supplier of advanced technology products and systems to customers in the scientific research, microelectronics, life and health sciences, industrial manufacturing and defense & homeland security markets.

Zygo Ametek

Alcon

Quality eye care requires more than technology. Through education, training and partnerships, Alcon helps strengthen the people and systems that make lasting vision care possible around the world.

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Apple

Bring Apple devices to life and enable them to interact with users and the environment in ways never imagined before. Our optical engineers work on advanced technology development for cameras and displays across iPhones, iPads, MacBooks and future products.

Applied Materials

Applied Materials’ expertise in materials engineering is the foundation for all the integrated circuits and flat panel displays that you use every day in computers, TVs, and mobile devices. Just as semiconductor technology changed the world of electronics, waveguide combiners for augmented reality devices and metasurface-based optics will change the world of optics as we know it. At Applied, we refer to this new approach as Engineered Optics. Bring your future into focus! Apply to become a member of our Engineered Optics team today.

ASML

ASML is an innovation leader in the semiconductor industry. We provide chipmakers with the hardware, software and services they need to mass produce microchips. We design and manufacture the lithography machines that are an essential part of chip manufacturing. Our advanced lithography systems use light to print the tiny patterns that form the circuits inside modern chips.

Attalon, Inc

Attalon is a leading optical and laser systems technology company with a long legacy of delivering custom solutions in ISR&T, space, missile guidance, and advanced lasers.

BAE Systems, Inc

We provide some of the world’s most advanced, technology-led defence, aerospace and security solutions. We are a workforce of more than 110,000 highly skilled people in more than 40 countries. Working with our customers and local partners, we develop, engineer, manufacture and support products and systems that deliver military capability, protect national security and keep critical information and infrastructure secure.

CACI (formerly ARKA)

CACI International Inc (NYSE: CACI) is a technology-first national security company that expands the limits of national security through innovation, discipline, and operational excellence. We deliver advanced technologies that help our customers move faster, operate more efficiently, and anticipate and defeat evolving threats. Our 27,000 talented employees and strong culture drive our success and have earned CACI recognition as a Fortune World's Most Admired Company. CACI is a member of the Fortune 500™️, the Russell 1000 Index, and the S&P MidCap 400 Index. For more information, visit caci.com.

Corning, Inc

Corning is vital to progress – in the industries we shape and in the world we share.​ We invent life-changing technologies using materials science. Our scientific and manufacturing expertise, boundless curiosity, and commitment to purposeful invention place us at the center of the way the world interacts, works, learns, and lives.​ Our sustained investment in research, development, and invention means we’re always ready to solve the toughest challenges alongside our customers. ​

General Atomics

General Atomics is a defense and diversified technologies company, founded in 1955 as a Division of General Dynamics and acquired by the Blue family in 1986. GA and affiliated companies operate on five continents and include GA Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI).

KLA

Every day, billions of people use technologies powered by semiconductors. Behind many of those innovations is KLA, helping customers manufacture the advanced chips that enable everything from mobile devices and data centers to automotive and AI applications. KLA is a global technology leader. We make an impact by creating solutions that drive progress and transform industries.

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

One Mission, Many Domains. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory serves a wide variety of national security missions, but our enduring purpose is to ensure nuclear deterrence. Established in 1952 in the early days of the Cold War to advance nuclear science and technology, we recently celebrated 70 years of addressing the challenges of strategic deterrence and nonproliferation in an increasingly complex geopolitical environment.

Leonardo DRS

DRS Daylight Solutions motto is "To Protect with Light".  Our mission is to be a leader in developing molecular detection, imaging and illumination systems for use in scientific research, life sciences, industrial process control, and defense applications.  Our family orientated culture is laced with an entrepreneurial spirit that runs company wide, where we value creative thinking and a can-do-attitude. Our inclusive and collaborative culture comes from the top, with a servant-based leadership management team that focuses on encouraging all our employees to learn, develop, contribute,  and make a difference. We offer competitive pay, medical benefits, 401k match, 9/80 schedule, company-paid volunteer hours, employee resource groups, tuition assistance and a student loan repayment program.  Come join the family!

Lockheed Martin Space

We specialize in defense tech, solving complex challenges, advancing scientific discovery and delivering innovative solutions that help our customers keep people safe.

Meta

Meta is building technology that connects you to people, interests and experiences that matter to you. Our principles embody what we stand for and guide our approach to how we build.

MIT Lincoln Laboratory

MIT Lincoln Laboratory researches and develops a broad array of advanced technologies to meet critical national security needs. What sets us apart from many national R&D laboratories is our focus on building operational prototypes of the unique systems we design.

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

JPL’s mission is exploring space in pursuit of scientific discoveries that benefit humanity. We currently have optical instruments in operation and development for Astrophysics, Earth Science, and Planetary Science (besides Earth). Questions we address range from the history and evolution of the universe, to detection of life outside of Earth, to understanding global warming on Earth.

Nikon Research Corporation of America

Nikon design is not just about product colors or shapes. While totally committed to being creative, Nikon also stays connected to customers in order to provide the right solutions for any potential needs and challenges they may be facing. From user experience design of products and services to enhancement of brand value, we continue to expand the scope of our activities through designing with a "future-driven" mindset that envisions what the future should look like.

nLIGHT, Inc.

For over 25 years, nLIGHT has been at the forefront of semiconductor laser innovation, enabling next-generation applications once thought impossible. As a pioneering provider of high-power lasers for mission-critical defense systems and advanced manufacturing, we have built a vertically integrated technology stack—from semiconductor chips to full laser systems—designed to deliver unmatched power and performance.​ ​With a portfolio of over 450 patents, nLIGHT continues to push the boundaries of laser power and precision, ensuring maximum effectiveness across a wide range of evolving threats. Designed, developed, and manufactured in the United States, our solutions are engineered to safeguard national security with cutting-edge technology that delivers the highest-power laser on target.​

Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman solves the toughest problems in space, aeronautics, defense and cyberspace to meet the ever evolving needs of our customers worldwide. Our 100,000 employees are Defining Possible every day using science, technology and engineering to create and deliver advanced systems, products and services.

Optimax Systems, Inc.

Optimax continues to grow as a market leader by helping its customers prove that great people can accomplish extraordinary things with the right technology and support. With an unwavering commitment to quality and precision, we leverage advanced optics manufacturing to empower programs that benefit humanity and safeguard freedom. Our expertise in innovation, coupled with fast production of high-precision optics, allows us to meet the demands of an evolving marketplace and deliver on the trust placed in us by some of the most sophisticated programs worldwide.

RTX Raytheon Technologies

With world‑class engineering talent, decades of proprietary data, tens of thousands of patents and a global network of partners – backed by multibillion‑dollar R&D investments – RTX delivers the breakthrough technologies reshaping our industry.

Space Dynamics Laboratory

We advance technologies that address shared national priorities across defense, intelligence, civil, and scientific missions. Our diverse and talented workforce includes over 1,300 engineers, scientists, and business professionals. In addition to our headquarters in North Logan, UT, we also have offices strategically co-located with or situated near our key Government partners. Our stellar reputation is built on over six decades of mission success, from concept to completion.

The Aerospace Corporation

The Aerospace Corporation is the nation’s trusted partner solving the hardest problems in space. We leverage unparalleled technical depth to meet critical mission needs and design foundational architectures that secure U.S. leadership in space and keep the nation safe.

U.S. Air Force Civilian Services - 412 Test Engineering Group

The 412 TENG delivers foundational capabilities for the United States Air Force’s Test and Evaluation enterprise, managing core competencies in airframe, propulsion, avionics, test range operations, and aircraft instrumentation. With a workforce exceeding 1,000 engineers, technicians, range operators, and support personnel, the group executes comprehensive flight and ground testing of advanced manned and unmanned aerial systems. As stewards of specialized facilities and equipment, they enable rigorous evaluation of emerging weapon system technologies to ensure operational reliability and mission readiness. Organized into five squadrons, the group provides the Department of Defense with unmatched technical depth and infrastructure to enable mission success for America's warfighters.

U.S. Army DEVCOM C5ISR

The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command C5ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) Center, located at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, and Fort Belvoir, Virginia, is the Army’s information technologies and integrated systems center.

U.S. Navel Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane)

Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane), located in Crane, Indiana is a shore command of the U.S. Navy. NSWC Crane is under the Naval Sea Systems Command headquartered in Washington DC. Our Mission is to deliver innovative solutions and readiness to the nation and its warfighter through application of our technical capabilities. Advance all-domain system of systems within the mission areas of Electromagnetic Warfare, Expeditionary Warfare, and Strategic Missions. Conduct science and technology, research, development, test and evaluation, acquisition and in-service engineering across the defense life-cycles. Execute other responsibilities as assigned by the Commander, Naval Surface Warfare Center.

Optica

Optica, Advancing Optics and Photonics Worldwide, is the society dedicated to promoting the generation, application, archiving and dissemination of knowledge in the field. Founded in 1916, it is the leading organization for scientists, engineers, business professionals, students and others interested in the science of light. Optica’s renowned publications, meetings, online resources and in-person activities fuel discoveries, shape real-life applications and accelerate scientific, technical and educational achievement.

Optics Valley

Arizona is home to world-class businesses and scientific and educational institutions with decades of innovation and leadership in optics and photonics. Optics Valley is the industry cluster and committee of the Arizona Technology Council, whose mission is to enhance these communities by fostering collaboration, amplifying visibility, and promoting growth across Arizona and beyond. Optics Valley organizes business networking events, technical seminars, and member meetups, including major annual events such as Arizona Photonics Days and the International Day of Light Celebration. Our activities elevate the region’s visibility, showcase local strengths in optics and photonics, and attract new talent and partnerships.

SPIE

SPIE is the international society for optics and photonics. Serving a global membership of over 25,000, we bring engineers, scientists, students, and business professionals together to advance light-based science and technology. Over the past five years, we have invested more than $26 million in the international optics community through our advocacy and support, including scholarships, educational resources, travel grants, endowed gifts, and public-policy development.

Airy Optics

Your Partner for AR, VR, and Beyond. The optics industry is changing. Our mission is to provide the design automation tools necessary to support the industry through this change, bringing new and exciting technologies from early research all the way to global manufacturing and distribution.

AOM

For over 15 years, you’ve known AOM as a CGH supplier for some of the world’s most challenging and precise optical engineering projects. Today, we aim to bring precision metrology to a broader set of applications and engineering challenges. Complex optics are used more widely than ever before – and at levels of precision and production volumes that seemed impossible just a few years ago. The challenges that today’s applications face are on par with the biggest space telescope projects of the past, but with a fraction of the budget and extremely tight timelines to complete.

Envision Technology

Envision is a small business headquartered in Manchester, New Hampshire, which was founded in 2019 on the principles of listening to the user’s needs, developing innovative products with an understanding of those needs, and employing a streamlined development and manufacturing approach. We are unencumbered by bureaucracy, and recognize that our success relies on the mission success of our end users. Envision is agile, responsive, and staffed with electro-optical and unmanned systems subject matter experts who possess extensive experience in the tactical application of battlefield systems and subsystems.

EO Solutions

Leveraging world-class expertise in both hardware and software development, including cutting-edge AI and Machine Learning capabilities, we specialize in the rapid prototyping and deployment of emerging technologies. Our core areas of focus are Directed Energy and Space Domain Awareness, led by an elite team of professionals committed to excellence.

Freeform

This is the next era of advanced manufacturing. The death of slow speeds and unpredictable systems. The birth of new technology. That moves as fast as ideas do. And autonomy that fuels the future. This is when any idea, no matter how audacious, can come to life. Overnight. And when whole industries transform in front of our eyes. We exist to shatter constraints today. To build a better tomorrow.

GEOST

Space has defined some of humanity’s greatest achievements and it continues to shape our future. A future that Rocket Lab is engineering into reality. As a global leader in launch and space systems, we are transforming the way we access and use space. Our capabilities span the space economy, including satellite design and manufacture, space software and components, and reliable launch services.

Observable Space

At Observable Space, we're redefining how humanity observes and connects with the universe. We're a vertically integrated, high-growth, space technology company building industry-leading precision optics platforms for Earth and in space. Our systems are trusted by thousands of customers, including NASA, JPL, SpaceX, Boeing, RTX, the US Space Force and the U.S. Department of War, leading research institutions and international partners.

Optical Perspectives Group LLC

Optical Perspectives Group specializes in low-cost, easy-to-use and accurate instruments for aligning and centering optics and optical systems.

Optical Support, Inc.

Oratomic

Fault-tolerant quantum computing is within reach. From scientific discoveries to new paradigms in artificial intelligence, quantum computers allow us to truly understand our universe–but only if they can be made fault-tolerant. Until now, the overhead of error correction has made this goal impractical. At Oratomic, we are building the world’s first utility-scale quantum computers, enabled by a new regime of ultra-efficient error correction–using only light and atoms. Our team integrates world-class expertise in quantum error correction, neutral atom systems, artificial intelligence, and optical engineering. We are working together to make fault-tolerant quantum computing a reality.

Coherent / II-VI Foundation

Our Mission is to encourage and enable students to pursue careers in engineering, science and mathematics while maintaining a standard of excellence in that pursuit.

Hamamatsu Corporation

Our mission is to benefit society through the development of technologies that capture, measure, and generate various types of light. That's why we re-invest at least 9% of our yearly revenue into research and development - to maintain cutting-edge quality across 90 types of image sensors, light sources, components, and systems with capabilities that span the spectrum from x-ray to infrared.

Kyocera SLD Laser Inc.

We are commercializing GaN lasers for the next generation of display, automotive, and specialty applications. Our sources are used directly in single color and R-G-B applications, or integrated into laser pumped phosphor architectures. As an independent spin-off from Soraa Inc, SLD Laser was founded in 2013 by several leading global pioneers in solid state lighting, including Dr. Shuji Nakamura, a 2014 Nobel Laureate in Physics for his groundbreaking work with LEDs, Dr. Steve Denbaars, Dr. James Raring, and Dr. Paul Rudy. Our laser technology incorporates a robust intellectual property portfolio of over 500 patents. SLD Laser was acquired by KYOCERA Corporation and has commenced operations as a Kyocera group company under the name KYOCERA SLD Laser, Inc.

Magic Leap

We empower partners to advance the future of AR. Our team is pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in augmented reality. From waveguides to Magic Leap 2 to AR glasses prototypes, we’ve been hyper-focused on perfecting the processes, tools, and technologies that are driving the next generation of wearable AR. We work with global technology leaders to help them enter and excel in the AR market, accelerating product development and uncovering new ways to connect people with the world around them.

Muon Space

Muon is built on the belief that speed, rigor, and mission focus aren’t trade-offs. We deliver constellation performance that is mission-optimized from day one.

Student interviews

Student interviews are available throughout the meeting and must be prearranged with Amber Soergel.

Post a Job

Registered Industrial Affiliates members can post job opportunities by visiting the Job Board (login required).

Parking & Arrival

One parking pass per company, per day. Click the link to see the suggested parking garages per day.

Shipping Details

Shipping deadline: Friday Oct 16
Click the link for the shipping details.

College Location

Wyant College of Optical Sciences, 1630 E. University Blvd. Tucson, AZ 85721

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