Joan Schwartz Graduate Student Scholarship in Optical Sciences

Joan Schwartz served in the Optics Industry for 17 years.  She earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering (1984) and a M.S. in Optical Engineering (1989) from the University of Rochester, and later took graduate courses in Optics at the University of Arizona.  Joan was originally from Long Island, New York but spent much of her career in Tucson, Arizona. She worked as a chemical engineer in IR glass fabrication and then as an optical metrology engineer at Perkin Elmer and Hughes Danbury Optical Systems (now UTC). At Hughes her work on the COSTAR corrective prescription for the Hubble Space Telescope received an Award of Recognition from NASA.

In 2006, Joan joined 4D Technology Corporation, in Tucson, as a manufacturing engineer. She helped to create and test state-of-the interferometry systems used on programs such as the James Webb Space Telescope.  Joan later became Senior Service Manager where she focused on developing the team’s capabilities and processes in order to provide superior technical service and resolve customer problems quickly and professionally. At 4D Technology, Joan was recognized for her inventiveness, technical insight, and thoroughness. She delighted in training engineers about optics and educated employees, distributors, and customers around the globe.

Eligibility: 

This scholarship endowment in her name was established by her family, co-workers and friends and is to be awarded to a graduate student at the Wyant College of Optical Sciences.