New Wyant College of Optical Sciences Faculty Present Exciting New Research Opportunities Ranging from Quantum to AI and Medical Applications
The Wyant College of Optical Sciences welcomes three new faculty members to the college’s ranks. The incoming faculty bring a diverse collection of exciting research to the college.
Asst. Prof. Weimin Zhou explores computational imaging and artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) technologies for advanced image formation and perception, with applications in medical imaging. Asst. Prof. Yeran Bai develops novel biomedical imaging platforms to study molecular and metabolic processes at single-cell resolution, addressing biomedical challenges such as infectious diseases and neurodegeneration. Asst. Prof. Cristian Panda investigates quantum metrology and sensing, utilizing atomic and molecular systems to probe fundamental physics and create compact quantum-based sensors for applications like gravimetry and inertial sensing. All three faculty are currently seeking students to join their labs!
Each of these new faculty and their unique topics bring exciting new possibilities to the college and students! Welcome!
Weimin Zhou, Assistant Professor of Optical Sciences
Asst. Prof. Weimin Zhou joins the Wyant College of Optical Sciences this Spring 2025 as an Assistant Professor of Optical Sciences and as an Assistant Professor of Medical Imaging in the Department of Medical Imaging (DMI). Before joining the University of Arizona, Zhou served as an Assistant Professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s (SJTU) Global Institute of Future Technology from 2022 to 2024. Before this, he was a Postdoctoral Scholar in the Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He earned his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Washington University in St. Louis in 2020.
Zhou directs the Computational Imaging and Visual Intelligence Laboratory (CIVIL), which explores the principles of image science, investigates artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) technologies, and employs a wide range of computational tools to advance image formation and perception. Zhou is actively seeking students to join his lab! Interested students are encouraged to contact him directly.
Find Zhou in his office located in Meinel 429, and he can be reached at weiminzhou@arizona.edu or by phone at 520-621-0174.
Yeran Bai, Assistant Professor of Optical Sciences
Asst. Prof. Yeran Bai also joins the Wyant College of Optical Sciences this spring semester.
Bai previously served as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of California, Santa Barbara, from 2021 to 2024, and at Boston University from 2019 to 2021. She earned her Ph.D. from Boston University, where she focused on advanced imaging technologies.
Bai’s new lab group focuses on advancing imaging technologies for biomedical applications, with an emphasis on developing innovative tools such as mid-infrared photothermal spectroscopic imaging to investigate molecular and metabolic processes at single-cell resolution. Her work aims to enhance understanding of cellular functions and diseases while addressing critical biomedical challenges, including infectious diseases and neurodegeneration. Students passionate about biomedical imaging and spectroscopy are invited to reach out for opportunities in her lab.
Her office is located in Meinel 650, and she can be reached at yrbai@arizona.edu.
Cristian Panda, Assistant Professor of Optical Sciences
Asst. Prof. Cristian Panda joined the Wyant College of Optical Sciences in 2024 as an Assistant Professor. His office is located in Meinel 652, and he can be contacted at cpanda@arizona.edu.
Panda earned his Ph.D. in Physics from Harvard University in 2018. Before coming to the University of Arizona, he was a Postdoctoral Scholar at the University of California, Berkeley, from 2019 to 2024.
The Panda lab focuses on quantum metrology and sensing, utilizing atomic and molecular systems to perform high-precision measurements that probe fundamental physics. His research involves creating quantum interferometers sensitive to phenomena beyond the Standard Model, such as deviations from Newtonian gravity or the presence of dark matter and dark energy. In addition to fundamental discoveries, his lab is working on compact quantum-based sensors for applications like gravimetry and inertial sensing. Panda welcomes inquiries from students eager to engage in cutting-edge quantum research. Learn more about his research on his website.
Please join us in warmly welcoming each of them to the Wyant College of Optical Sciences!