Wyant College of Optical Sciences News

The new year began with the 10th annual 2025 Optical Sciences Winter School running from January 7 - 10 at the Wyant College of Optical Sciences. More than 50 undergraduates from across the country attended. Students visited from institutions including the American University, Colgate Univ., Delaware State Univ., Illinois Weslyan Univ., Rochester Institute of Technology and many more!

PhD students Nicolas Deshler and Itay Ozer have been recognized for their invention of a quantum optimal coronagraph, a breakthrough device that uses spatial mode sorting to null starlight and reveal faint objects like exoplanets. Their innovation reaches quantum limits of information extraction, with potential applications in astronomy, microscopy, and telecommunications.

PhD student Logan Pawlowski represented the Wyant College of Optical Sciences at AMOS Space Day in Maui, delivering interactive demonstrations to middle and high school students across the island. Supported by the Optics Ambassadors program, Logan introduced students to telescope architecture, polarization, and neuromorphic vision, using hands-on tools like branded polarizer cards and event-based sensors. His outreach aimed to inspire local youth to consider careers in optics and technology, especially in communities where such paths are often overlooked.

The Wyant College of Optical Sciences is proud to officially welcome Dr. Mark F. Spencer as a Professor of Optical Sciences and the inaugural holder of the Robert M. Edmund Endowed Chair in Optical Sciences. This prestigious appointment recognizes Dr. Spencer’s exceptional contributions to the field of directed energy and his leadership in advancing beam control and propagation technologies for laser systems.