Wyant College of Optical Sciences News

UPDATE: On Sunday, October 6, 2024, Daewook Kim, associate professor of optical sciences, and Roger Angel, professor of astronomy and optical sciences, were featured on KOLD News 13 discussing the potential for the twisting heliostat.
Kim and Angel are working to pioneer a new approach to heliostat design for concentrating solar power (CSP) systems. Their innovation aims to deliver solar thermal energy at exceptionally high concentrations throughout the day. It is believed that their work into this technology could potentially be the forerunner for advanced applications like atmospheric carbon removal—literally providing the energy needed for carbon capture and removal from the air. 

Congratulations to Kyle Seyler, assistant professor of optical sciences, on his selection as a 2024 Early Career Award winner by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), part of the Early Career Research Program (ECRP). Seyler’s proposal, titled "Light-Driven Proximity Control of Designer Moiré Nanomaterials," focuses on exploring light-induced quantum phases in two-dimensional (2D) moiré nanomaterials.

A publication from the Takashima Lab on all-MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical System) LIDAR was selected as one of the five best papers published in the journal of Micromachines in 2022. The Micromachines Best Paper Awards Committee, selected "All-MEMS Lidar Using Hybrid Optical Architecture with Digital Micromirror Devices and a 2D-MEMS Mirror" as one of five winners of the Micromachines  Best Paper Awards for 2022 (2,500 CHF) from among 2260 published papers. Congratulations to the authors!

Logan Graves, an alumnus of the Wyant College of Optical Sciences at the University of Arizona (BS 2014 & PhD 2019) works today as an optical and software engineer with Arizona Optical Metrology, but he also shares his passion for optical sciences and the culture surrounding it through his podcast, The Spotlight Report. Don't miss the latest episode featuring Travis Sawyer, assistant professor of optical sciences.

Heejoo Choi, associate research professor of optical sciences, was recently appointed as an associate editor for Optica's journal, Continuum, a peer-reviewed, open access journal that focuses on research spanning the full breadth of optics and photonics. Choi brings his extensive expertise in optical engineering and metrology to his role as an editor. He encourages researchers to submit their work, particularly in areas such as optical system design, optics fabrication, and testing, including studies with negative results, as they can contribute valuable insights to the scientific community. Submissions may be made to Continuum through the Optica system.

Judy Su, associate professor of optical sciences and biomedical engineering, has been awarded the Craig M. Berge Dean Fellowship and recognized as an ASME Rising Star, two prestigious honors that highlight her groundbreaking contributions to science and engineering.

Hong Hua, inventor and professor of optical sciences, has been featured in the Bayh-Dole Coalition's 2024 "Faces of American Innovation" report. The Coalition has recognized her for her development of a revolutionary vision correction device that helps many legally blind people to see.

The College of Engineering Summer Engineering Academy (SEA) was in full swing this summer at the University of Arizona. Wyant College of Optical Sciences shared the wonder of optics at four camps in June and July. Two camps focused on "Intro to Engineering" and hosted around 30-40 campers each. Another camp was specific to women in engineering and included 50 campers. The final camp was an advanced engineering summer camp split between Arizona's Wyant College of Optical Sciences and Electrical & Computer Engineering and included 30 campers. A total of about 150 high school students experienced the excitement of optical sciences this summer with the help and support of Arizona faculty, staff and students!

The very first Arizona Quantum Boot Camp at the University of Arizona was a resounding success. Undergraduate and high school students came from across Arizona to explore the fundamentals of quantum science. The summer camp was also one of the first events held in the newly opened Grand Challenges Research Building, a fitting location to discuss the challenges presented by quantum sciences with the next generation of scientists and innovators.

The NSF Engineering Research Center, the Center for Quantum Networks (CQN) is wrapping up its summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program in the next few days. This year's program includes four students in Arizona and another nine students at CQN partner institutions, visiting from ten different institutions. The summer program ends on Friday, August 9, with student presentations from 10 am to 3 pm at the Grand Challenges Research Building, 1st floor. All faculty, staff, and students, as well as community members are invited to attend and hear more about these exciting projects.