WELCOME ASSISTANT PROFESSOR SAWYER

The Wyant College welcomes Assistant Professor Travis Sawyer. Travis is already quite familiar with the halls of the Wyant College, being an alumni, but as of Fall 2021 he has taken on a whole new role in our college. Now an Assistant Professor of Optical Sciences and Health Sciences, he received his B.S. in Optical Sciences from the UArizona in 2017 before attending the University of Cambridge to receive his M.Phil. in Physics in 2018. Travis returned to UArizona to pursue his Ph.D. in Optical Sciences and graduated valedictorian in Spring 2021. Professor Jennifer Barton advised him during his thesis research on developing novel imaging techniques for ovarian cancer detection.

After graduating, he joined the faculty at the Wyant College of Optical Sciences to establish the Biomedical Optics and Optical Measurement Lab. His research interests include gastrointestinal cancer detection, where he develops endoscopes incorporating optical coherence tomography, fluorescence imaging, and other novel imaging modalities, with a focus on image analysis through machine learning techniques. He has extensive experience in animal and human studies, as well as optical design and has collaborated with the University of Cambridge to develop endoscopes using hyperspectral and phase imaging. Previously, he developed visual recognition software for detailed image capture, enabling discoveries in astronomy, art preservation, and the biomedical sciences.

Travis shared a bit of his excitement for joining the Wyant College as a faculty-member saying, "Some of my most impactful mentors have been members of the faculty in optical sciences, motivating me to pursue this career path. I am extremely excited to continue to be a part of the college, and to hopefully inspire future students to pursue their aspirations in optical sciences."

Welcome, Dr. Sawyer! We are glad you're here.