The National Academy of Inventors has named five University of Arizona faculty members as Class of 2024 Senior Members, one of which was Saikat Guha, Professor of Optical Sciences and holder of the Nasser Peyghambarian Endowed Chair in Optical Sciences, as well as Director of the NSF Engineering Research Center for Quantum Networks.

In celebration of Black History Month (Feb. 1 - Mar. 1), we highlight a few of the great Black Optical Scientists and Engineers who have helped shape history. Each of these inspiring innovators were shared over the course of the month on the college's Instagram page.

SPIE will be honoring alumna, Mary G. Turner, PhD (OSC 1993), with the 2024 SPIE María J. Yzuel Educator Award at their annual meeting in August, 2024. She is receiving the distinction for her lifetime dedication to teaching optical design. Mary’s remarkable career includes her current role as a Technical Fellow in Optical Design at Edmund Optics and adjunct professor at the College. Read the SPIE Press Release on the 2024 SPIE María J. Yzuel Educator Award. Congratulations Dr. Mary Turner, for being an inspiration to aspiring optical engineers and educators.

Jennifer Kehlet Barton, director of the BIO5 Institute, Thomas R. Brown Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering, and professor of Optical Sciences at the University of Arizona, has officially commenced her role as the 2024 President of SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics. This pivotal appointment solidifies Barton's standing as a trailblazer in her field and marks a significant milestone for the university.

Aydogan Ozcan
Chancellor’s Professor and the Volgenau Chair for Engineering Innovation
University of California Los Angeles

In this presentation, I will provide an overview of our recent work on using deep neural networks in advancing computational microscopy and sensing systems, also covering their biomedical applications, including virtual staining of label-free tissue for pathology. I will also discuss diffractive optical networks designed by deep learning to all-optically implement various complex functions as the input light diffracts through spatially-engineered surfaces.

The University of Arizona Alumni Association announced Dr. Kent Rochford as the 2024 Alumnus of the Year for the Wyant College of Optical Sciences. The Alumni of the Year ceremony took place February 22, 2024.