Wyant College of Optical Sciences News

Stop by the Meinel building and you will find a stunning mural in the 4th floor hallway! This vibrant masterpiece, designed by undergraduate art student, Nina Garcia, is a testament to the incredible collaboration between students from the College of Fine Arts and the Wyant College of Optical Sciences.

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!

Graduating students and their loved ones, along with Wyant College staff and faculty, gathered on Friday, Dec. 20 to celebrate the Wyant College of Optical Sciences' Winter Convocation. The intimate ceremony was followed by a light spread and cake in the Meinel 3rd floor lobby.

Two new staff members have joined the Wyant College of Optical Sciences! Lisa Kondrat is a new administrative associate and Mike Kelso is the new building operations coordinator. Welcome Lisa and Mike!

Dr. Derek Burrell, OSC alumnus 2023, was named the recipient of the 2024 Optical Group Doctoral Thesis Prize from the Institute of Physics (IOP). This prestigious award recognizes outstanding doctoral research defended in 2023 and highlights groundbreaking contributions to the field of optical science. Reflecting on the award, Derek expressed gratitude for the opportunities at OSC and the collaboration with his advisor, Ron Driggers, professor of optical sciences, with whom he continues to publish.

The final staff recognition awards were presented during the Wyant College Staff Appreciation and Holiday Luncheon. Awards presented included the 4th Quarter Peer-to-Peer, Jason Orlowski; November SPOT Award, Hillary Mathis; and the Honorable Mention, Ian Arnold; and Employee of the Year, Nathan Martinez.

On December 12th outside of the Meinel building, the final staff recognition awards were presented after a fantastic meal during the Wyant College Staff Appreciation and Holiday Luncheon. Awards presented included the 4th Quarter Peer-to-Peer, Jason Orlowski; November SPOT Award, Hillary Mathis; and the Honorable Mention, Ian Arnold; and Employee of the Year, Nathan Martinez. The celebration ended with a lively series of karaoke!

Nobel Laureate Donna Strickland gave an engaging colloquium to a crowd of about 200 attendees at the Wyant College of Optical Sciences on Dec. 5. Titled "High Intensity Fiber Lasers for Nonlinear Optics," her talk discussed the development of fiber laser amplifiers for nonlinear optical interactions, emphasizing their potential for high average power applications, such as mid-infrared generation and electron acceleration. Ahead of the colloquium, Strickland met with students from the college, sharing insights into her research and career journey while answering their questions. This was a wonderful opportunity for students to connect an inspirational researcher in optics and photonics ahead of the colloquium.

Optics for All (OFA) invited Caleb W. Baker, alumnus and optical engineer at Jet Propulsion Laboratory, for a talk and discussion on mental health in STEM. Caleb provided prevalence studies, as well as specific effects and constructs surrounding the psychological challenges specific to STEM graduate school and working at a place like NASA. The talk is now available on the Wyant College of Optical Sciences Youtube!

Thomas L. Koch’s term as dean of the Wyant College of Optical Sciences has been defined by 13 years of tremendous growth amidst the continuing explosion of applications and demand for new optics and photonics technologies. Provost Ron Marx said, “Dean Koch has led the Wyant College of Optical Sciences with outstanding leadership and unwavering dedication. He has been a champion of one of our unique strengths in science and engineering here at the University of Arizona. We are deeply grateful for his service.”