College News

The Quantum Toolbox project at the University of Arizona's Wyant College of Optical Sciences is an exciting new initiative recently funded through a $25,000 grant from the UArizona Foundation Small Grants Committee. Made possible by the efforts of Dalziel Wilson, Associate Professor of Optical Sciences, and Kaye Rowan, Executive Director of Development, the project creates an independent study course with official enrollment slated for fall 2025. This will be the university's first hands-on quantum course, providing vital experiential learning opportunities for students passionate about quantum science and the growing availability of innovative careers in the quantum field. 

A special congratulations to the authors of the paper "Ultra-high-Q free-space coupling to microtoroid resonators" as April's top downloaded paper among all papers published by Light: Science & Applications, a Nature sub-journal with impact factor 19.5, in March 2024. First author of the paper is Sartanee Suebka, PhD Student under the advisement of Judy Su, Associate Professor of Optical Sciences, who is the senior author on the paper. Euan McLeod, Associate Professor of Optical Sciences, is also a co-author on the paper.

Two students advised by Prof. Ron Driggers were selected for Awards at the SPIE Defense + Commercial Sensing 2024 Conference in April 2024. Jordan Rubis, PhD Student, was selected for the SPIE Infrared Imaging Systems 2024 Young Researcher Innovation Award. Luke Somerville, PhD Student, was selected for the SPIE 2024 Infrared Imaging Systems Best Presentation. 

Three Wyant College of Optical Sciences PhD students, all advised by Travis Sawyer, Assistant Professor of Optical Sciences, have had their research featured on prominent journals' covers. Justina Bonaventura's article was published in the May 2024 issue of SPIE's peer-reviewed Journal of Biomedical Optics. Noelle Daigle's and Shuyuan Guan's work was featured in the May/June 2024 issue of BioPhotonics, a news journal published by Photonics Spectra. 

Wyant College of Optical Sciences alumnus, Lee Giles (MS 1977 and PhD 1981), was ranked 183 globally and 111 in the U.S. in the Research.com 2023 Ranking of Best Scientists in Computer Science. Today Dr. Giles is the David Reese Professor of Information Sciences and Technology at Pennsylvania State University, College of Information Sciences and Technology. This prestigious recognition highlights his significant contributions to information retrieval, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, with 626 publications and 49,292 citations. Congratulations to Dr. Giles on this outstanding achievement!

Congratulations to Chuan Luo, PhD student, for receiving a $4,000 scholarship from SPIE for 2024. This recognition, part of SPIE’s $303,000 distribution to 72 exceptional student members this year, highlights Chuan's outstanding potential in optics and photonics. Chuan is advised by Yuzuru Takashima, Professor of Optical Sciences. 

Students and Alumni from the Wyant College of Optical Sciences participated as volunteers in the recent International Day of Light Celebration on May 19 at the Flandrau Science Center & Planetarium. 

The Class of 2024 celebrated their graduation and induction into Wyant College's distinguished alumni ranks on May 9th, 2024. Congratulations to the graduating students, their families, instructors, and advisors. High-resolution images are available.

It is with great pleasure that the Wyant College of Optical Sciences announces that two Endowed Chairs in Optical Sciences have been awarded. The establishment of these endowed chairs has been made possible through the generous donations made by Optica and the Thomas R. Brown Family Foundation, and the $20+ million matching pledge made by the late founding dean of the college, Emeritus Professor James C. Wyant, and his family.

The University of Arizona James C. Wyant College of Optical Sciences announced a $2 million donation from Murray and Kamie Sargent to establish the Murray Sargent III Endowed Chair in Quantum Optics.  This endowment will provide support to a faculty member specializing in the increasingly impactful field of quantum optics.