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Watt's Up
College
of Optical Sciences News for Thursday, April 20, 2006
We Welcome Hinds Instruments
to our Industrial Affiliates Program
 Hinds
Instruments of Portland Oregon develops and manufactures photoelastic
modulator-based systems and components that exploit the high sensitivity
of PEM polarization analysis technology. This capability has
become integral to a wide variety of applications involving measurement
of such parameters as birefringence, Stokes polarimetry, dichroism,
optical rotation and others in research, metrology and on-line
environments. Hinds Instruments' technical team has introduced two
products that have been awarded R&D100 recognition:
the Exicor Low Level Birefringence Measurement System in 2001 and
the Eicor DUV
in 2003. For more information about Hinds Instruments, please
visit their Web site at
www.hindsinstruments.com The company maintains an active, ongoing
involvement in scientific, technical, and industry conferences, so if
you attend CLEO next month, drop by booth T31 to say hello to the Hinds
Instrument team.
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SPIE Announces Its 2006 Scholarship Recipients
 This
year, SPIE awarded scholarships or grants to 108 outstanding
students. The Scholarship awards are based on the
students' potential for long-range contribution to optics and
photonics, or a related discipline. Award-winning applicants
were evaluated and selected by the SPIE Scholarship Committee
and approved by the SPIE Board of Directors' Executive
Committee. The SPIE Scholarship effort reflects the Society's
commitment to education and to the next generation of optical
scientists and engineers around the world. Sixteen College
of Optical Sciences students were selected to receive SPIE's
2006 Scholarships.
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Kyle H.
Fuerschbach
Seth R.
Ginter
Dathon
Golish
Nathan Hagen
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Sergio J.
Johnson
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Joshua J.
Kim
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Tracy H. Law
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Brian W.
Miller
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Norman M.F.
Milton
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Jeff Richey
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David R.
Scherer
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Matthew B.
Schwab
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Nicholas D.
Trail
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Pouria
Valley
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Yinying
Xiao-Li
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Eustace Dereniak and Masud
Mansuripur Receive UA's College Awards of Distinction
Each Spring, the University of
Arizona recognizes its faculty members for excellence in teaching.
This year, a committee of faculty members and students has
selected two College of Optical Sciences professors to receive the
coveted Awards of Distinction: Masud Mansuripur for outstanding
graduate teaching and Eustace Dereniak for outstanding undergraduate
teaching. Congratulations, Masud and Eustace. BTW: Masud
received the Award for graduate teaching last year also. Click
on the thumbnails for a larger view.
The 2006 Group Photo
 Thank you all for the great
turnout. Special thanks to Bob Bourland and John Padilla for dealing
with the ladder every year and to Robert Walker for climbing the ladder
every year. The proofs just came in: this one is order #75885-7
no. 20A. Professional-quality photos can be purchased directly
from Robert Walker Photography, 520-440-1179. Click on the
thumbnail for a larger view.
Lost and Found
The OSC lost and found box
contains quite a variety of goodies including a media storage stick, a
Nokia cell phone, a TI calculator, a set of Sony earbuds, a large water
bottle, and three pair of sunglasses. If you've lost any of these
items, please stop by the Academic Programs Office, Meinel 403.
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Around
Campus
April 21, 2006 --
Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering Seminar -- 4:00 p.m. -- AME
N715
Dr. Lidan You, AME Faculty Candidate from the Department of
Mechanical Engineering at Stanford University, will present
Mechanotransduction in Bone: Cellular Mechanisms.
Abstract: Bone is a biological system, which keeps
adjusting its structure to adapt to its mechanical environment.
Mechanical signals are critical for this adaptation process.
However, the cellular level mechanisms responsible have not been
determined. A recent theoretical model developed by the
speaker showed that through the loading induced interstitial
fluid flow in bone the deformation at tissue level can be
amplified greatly. It explained how the low magnitude of tissue
level deformation on bone can be amplified greatly at the
cellular level so that the small deformation induced by routine
physiological activities can be detected by osteocytes (the
cells embedded in bone matrix). To elucidate the existence
of osteocyte process intra/extra cellular structures, which are
critical components of the mathematical model, a detailed
ultrastructural study of bone cells was conducted. It was found
that densely packed pericellular matrix exists in the space
between the osteocyte process and the bone matrix surrounding
it. Actin bundles were observed in these adult animal bone cell
processes. The experimental confirmation of these
microstructural features’ existence strongly support the
theoretical model. To better understand the cellular
mechanism behind osteocyte mechanotransduction, a novel in vitro
approach was developed. It will allow real time in vitro
mechanotransduction studies on osteocyte process in a
microfluidics system which mimics the in situ bone cell
extracellular environment. This research combines
microfabrication, microfluidics, imaging analysis, cell
mechanics, cell and molecular biology. This new in vitro
approach has potentially wider applications in investigating
mechanotransduction at the cellular level in bone and in other
systems as well. Another approach to investigate the
osteocyte mechanotransduction is focused on the role of
mechanical force generated intracellularly in the cellular
response to mechanical stimuli. In this study, by combining the
micropattern technique and the traditional in vitro flow chamber
approach, one can study the contribution of intracellular
mechanical tension and separate it from the contribution of
focal adhesion in the mechanotransduction process in bone cells.
To investigate the loading induced inhibitory effect on bone
resorption, experiments focused on the regulation of osteoclasts
(cells that degrade and resorb bone) formation through
osteocytes under mechanical loading were carried. It was found
that osteocytes subjected to mechanical loading exhibited
inhibited osteoclastogenesis when co-cultured with osteoclast
precursors. Conditioned medium (CM) from osteocytes did not
support osteoclast formation. However, adding CM from osteocytes
to osteoclast precursors supplemented with physiologic
circulating levels of osteoclasts differentiation factors
resulted in a decreased osteoclast formation. The CM from
osteocytes exposed to mechanical loading further enhanced the
inhibitory effect on osteoclast formation. This study suggests
that while bone is subjected to mechanical loading osteocytes
may regulate osteoclast formation via both direct cell-cell
contact with osteoclast precursors and soluble factors.
April 21, 2006 -- Physics Colloquium -- 2:45 p.m. -- PAS 220
Jim Friar, Los Alamos National Laboratory, will present
Ships, Dinosaurs, and Nuclei: It's the Scales that Count.
Abstract: The question, "Were dinosaurs warm blooded?",
will be explored by appealing to scales and dimensional
analysis, as will be the question, "What was the Royal Navy's
secret weapon in the 19th century?". The question, "What is a
nucleus?" is discussed from the perspective of scales.
Chiral symmetry is introduced by examining the Rutherford
experiment, and the influence of that symmetry on nuclear
physics is discussed. Power counting (a form of dimensional
analysis) and "naturalness" are introduced and are used to
assess the importance of many-body forces, and to answer the
question, "Is nuclear physics tractable?". An appeal is made to
Gilbert's Law of Magnetism to judge the complexity of
calculations in light nuclei. Recent benchmarks in our under-
standing of these systems are reviewed.
April 24, 2006 --
Biomedical Engineering Seminar -- 2:00 p.m. -- AHSC 5403
Calum
MacCauley, Ph.D., Head, Cancer Imaging Department at British
Columbia Cancer Research Centre, will present Moving
Photonics Clinical. Urs Utzinger, 626-9281, is the
host. Abstract: Light interacts with tissue in a variety
of different ways some of which can yield clinically diagnostic
information. While determining which technique or
combination of techniques (autofluorescence, reflectance
spectroscopy or imaging) yields the most relevant information
about the tissue of interest can be extremely challenging
technically, demonstrating their clinical utility and gaining
clinical acceptance can be even more so. Over the last two
decades our group and others have focused on the detection and
delineation of pre-invasive neoplasia and the introduction of
photonic tools to enhance the clinician’s ability to detect and
delineate these lesions in the lung, cervix and oral cavities.
As the understanding of the mechanisms and ways in which light
interacts with the structure and molecular properties of the
interrogated tissue has improved, the pace of clinical
development and adoption has increased remarkably. The inclusion
of the correlation of the measured optical properties with not
only tissue histopathological interpretation but with molecular
changes and genetic damage has increased the acceptance of these
photonic tools. Examples from the lung, cervix and oral cavity
for both the above macroscopic techniques and for quantitative
microscopy based phenotyping will be presented.
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Happy Birthday
Watt's Happening
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April 13, 2006 -- Optical Sciences Colloquium -- 3:45 p.m. --
Meinel 408/410
April 14, 2006 -- Degree Certification Deadline
PhD graduates must complete their final oral exam.
April 20, 2006 -- Optical Sciences Colloquium -- 3:45 p.m. --
Meinel 408/410
April 20, 2006 -- AOIA Cross Cluster Mixer -- Phoenix
April 27, 2006 -- Optical Sciences Colloquium -- 3:45 p.m. --
Meinel 408/410
April 28, 2006 -- Last Day to Turn in Your Summer Comp
Paperwork
April 28, 2006 -- PhD Final Oral -- Noon -- Steward
Observatory N305
Thomas Stalcup, Jr. will present Design and Construction
of a Multiple Beam Laser Project and Dynamically Refocused
Wavefront Sensor.
May 1, 2006 -- Degree Certification Deadline
PhD graduates must submit their dissertation and signed
completion documents.
May 3, 2006 -- Last Day of Classes
May 4, 2006 -- OSC Spring Faculty Meeting -- Noon to 1:00
p.m. -- Meinel 408/410
Lunch will be provided.
May 5, 2006 -- Final Examinations Begin
May 12, 2006 -- Final Examinations End
May 12, 2006 -- Degree Certification Deadline
M.S. graduates must complete their final oral exam and
submit signed completion documents.
May 13, 2006 -- Spring Commencement -- Congratulations
Graduates!
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Employment Openings
Atomic
Layer Deposition. University of Arizona. There is an
opportunity in the Muscat research group in the Chemical &
Environmental Engineering Department for a student who welcomes
experimental work to construct a chemical reactor and control system
for atomic layer deposition of thin films. The system will be
used to deposit thin films on semiconductor substrates to fabricate
quantum dots. The system is designed and all of the components are
available to start building. Good hands-on skills are required
and familiarity with AutoCAD or LabVIEW would be helpful. We will
teach the other skills needed, including metal welding, ultrahigh
vacuum techniques and working with a variety of tools. Please direct
questions about the position and send resumes if interested by email
to muscat@erc.arizona.edu
with the subject "ALD Reactor Position." Dr. Anthony J.
Muscat, Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering,
University of Arizona.
Optical Engineers in Physiological Optics.
University of Rochester. Two
positions for optical engineers in physiological optics: The
Customized Vision Correction Laboratory at the University of
Rochester directed by Geunyoung Yoon, Ph.D. seeks two BS or MS level
optical engineer. Our research has been focused on ocular wavefront
sensing and various methods such as adaptive optics, refractive
surgery and customized optics (phase plate, contact lenses, IOLs) to
compensate for the wave aberration in the eye to improve visual
performance. We are also expanding our research to the area of
presbyopic correction. Candidates must have significant background
in optics. Experience in physiological optics, especially
characterizing optical quality of the eye, correcting the
aberration, intraocular imaging (OCT) is desirable but, not
necessary. To apply or for more information, send a CV and a
statement of research interests to: Geunyoung Yoon, Ph.D.
Dept. of Ophthalmology, Center for Visual Science, Dept. of
Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester. Meliora Hall
262, Rochester, NY 14627. Home Page:
http://www.cvs.rochester.edu/yoonlab/ Email:
mailto:yoon@cvs.rochester.edu
Optical Engineer Opportunity. Digital Optics
Corporation. Celebrating Our 15-Year
Anniversary! Digital Optics Corporation (DOC),
www.doc.com, located in Charlotte, North Carolina, is a
worldwide leader in the development, design, manufacturing and
marketing of micro-optics and integrated sub-assembly solutions.
DOC offers wafer-based custom applications for consumer electronics,
sensors, medical devices, semiconductor equipment, vision systems,
data storage, and more. Every customer benefits from a
custom-designed solution that balances high-performance, size and
economic value. We are celebrating our 15-year anniversary by
continuing to grow, enjoying financially stability and being well
funded. Our headquarters and ISO 9001:2000 Certified
state-of-the-art manufacturing facility is located near the campus
of The University of North at Charlotte, an institution with
internationally recognized optical metrology expertise. We have a
strong commitment to teamwork, quality, customer satisfaction, and
technological innovation. Industry-leading capabilities include
diffractive optics, refractive optics, SiOB, and the integration of
passive and/or active components at die and wafer levels. Charlotte
is a dynamic and exciting city. It has long been recognized as one
of the best cities in the US for life-style and business.
Recreational and cultural opportunities abound, and Charlotte is
ideally located between the Blue Ridge Mountains and Carolina
beaches. We are currently looking for a talented
entry-level Optical Engineer. In this position, you will be
responsible for design and analysis in support of new product
development utilizing DOC’s core technology of wafer-based optics.
Candidate will support design, process development and test efforts,
working within multiple cross-functional project teams. Duties
and responsibilities include, but are not limited to: New
product system design support: tolerancing, first-order
optomechanical analysis, etc. Analyze process metrology and
optical test data, then interpret results for peers. Hands on
testing in our optics laboratory. The Optical Engineer will be
qualified by: Optical design skills (ASAP, GLAD, Zemax and/or
CodeV) and some experience with optical systems.
Technical skills in the following areas: optical design, hands-on
laboratory skills, photonics, fiber optics, and optical metrology.
Matlab or Mathmatica programming skills highly desirable.
Solidworks programming skills are a plus. A Bachelor's Degree
or higher in Engineer or Physical Science is required,
specialization in optics is preferred. We offer a competitive
compensation and benefits package, including stock options, a 401K
plan with company match, medical/dental, Company paid vision and
life insurance, STD/LTD, tuition reimbursement, up to 20 PTO days,
paid holidays and a relocation allowance. Qualified candidates are
invited to submit their resume, including salary requirements, to:
Ursula Smith. Email:
hr@doc.com www.doc.com
704-887-3132 Digital Optics Corporation is a proud Equal
Opportunity-Affirmative Action Employer.
Senior Optical Engineer Opportunity. Digital Optics
Corporation. Celebrating Our 15-Year Anniversary!
Digital Optics Corporation (DOC),
www.doc.com, located in Charlotte, North Carolina, is a
worldwide leader in the development, design, manufacturing and
marketing of micro-optics and integrated sub-assembly solutions.
DOC offers wafer-based custom applications for consumer electronics,
sensors, medical devices, semiconductor equipment, vision systems,
data storage, and more. Every customer benefits from a
custom-designed solution that balances high-performance, size and
economic value. We are celebrating our 15-year anniversary by
continuing to grow, enjoying financially stability and being well
funded. Our headquarters and ISO 9001:2000 Certified
state-of-the-art manufacturing facility is located near the campus
of The University of North at Charlotte, an institution with
internationally recognized optical metrology expertise. We have a
strong commitment to teamwork, quality, customer satisfaction, and
technological innovation. Industry-leading capabilities include
diffractive optics, refractive optics, SiOB, and the integration of
passive and/or active components at die and wafer levels. Charlotte
is a dynamic and exciting city. It has long been recognized as one
of the best cities in the US for life-style and business.
Recreational and cultural opportunities abound, and Charlotte is
ideally located between the Blue Ridge Mountains and Carolina
beaches. The Senior Optical Engineer will be responsible for
the development of micro-optical components and assemblies from
concept through to production. Responsibilities include:
Conceptual design and evaluation of new product opportunities.
Detailed product design including lifetime, performance and
manufacturability analyses. Active participation on
cross-functional development teams, including occasional team
leadership responsibilities. Technical research, assessment
and support for Sales and Marketing, including effective customer
interaction and communication. Some engineering leadership and
supervisory opportunities. The Senior Optical Engineer will be
qualified by: At least 5 years of strong hands on experience
and a proven track record of practical optical systems development,
considering both manufacturability and lifetime performance.
Optical design skills (ASAP, GLAD, Zemax and/or CodeV). Matlab
or Mathmatica programming skills are highly desirable.
Solidworks programming skills are desirable. A Bachelor's
Degree or higher in Engineer or Physical Science, specialization in
optics is preferred. We offer a competitive compensation and
benefits package, including stock options, a 401K plan with company
match, medical/dental, Company paid vision and life insurance,
STD/LTD, tuition reimbursement, up to 20 PTO days, paid holidays and
a relocation allowance. Qualified candidates are invited to submit
their resume, including salary requirements, to: Ursula Smith,
Email:
hr@doc.com www.doc.com
704-887-3132. Digital Optics Corporation is a proud Equal
Opportunity-Affirmative Action Employer.
Senior Test Engineer Opportunity. Digital Optics Corporation.
Celebrating Our 15-Year Anniversary! Digital Optics
Corporation (DOC),
www.doc.com, located in Charlotte, North Carolina, is a
worldwide leader in the development, design, manufacturing and
marketing of micro-optics and integrated sub-assembly solutions.
DOC offers wafer-based custom applications for consumer electronics,
sensors, medical devices, semiconductor equipment, vision systems,
data storage, and more. Every customer benefits from a
custom-designed solution that balances high-performance, size and
economic value. We are celebrating our 15-year anniversary by
continuing to grow, enjoying financially stability and being well
funded. Our headquarters and ISO 9001:2000 Certified
state-of-the-art manufacturing facility is located near the campus
of The University of North at Charlotte, an institution with
internationally recognized optical metrology expertise. We have a
strong commitment to teamwork, quality, customer satisfaction, and
technological innovation. Industry-leading capabilities include
diffractive optics, refractive optics, SiOB, and the integration of
passive and/or active components at die and wafer levels. Charlotte
is a dynamic and exciting city. It has long been recognized as one
of the best cities in the US for life-style and business.
Recreational and cultural opportunities abound, and Charlotte is
ideally located between the Blue Ridge Mountains and Carolina
beaches. We are currently looking for a talented and
experienced Senior Test Engineer. In this position, you will design
and develop functional testing systems for newly developed optical
and opto-electronic products products and support multiple
cross-functional projects in both the commercial and government
sectors, as well as directing the efforts of technicians and more
junior engineers. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Designing testing systems in coordination with cross-functional
development team. Developing testing systems in coordination
with team (class 10,000 clean lab). Analyzing test data and
interpret results for peers. Coaching and direct technicians
and junior engineers. The Senior Test Engineer will be
qualified by: At least 5 years testing experience in
Optics, Opto-electronics and Fiber-Optics testing. Demonstrated
hands-on experience with design and development of new product test
setups, transition from low to high volume testing and strong
knowledge of component performance requirements and industry test
standards. A solid understanding of statistical methods for
analysis of tester performance, equipment control and automation
software (e.g. Labview or Visual Basic) and a strong working
knowledge of geometrical and physical optics are required.
Optical design skills are highly desirable. Matlab or
Mathmatica programming skills are desirable. Minimum BS in
Engineering or Physics (specialization in optics preferred).
We offer a competitive compensation and benefits package, including
stock options, a 401K plan with company match, medical/dental,
Company paid vision and life insurance, STD/LTD, tuition
reimbursement, up to 20 PTO days, paid holidays and a relocation
allowance. Qualified candidates are invited to submit their
resume, including salary requirements, to: Ursula Smith,
Email:
hr@doc.com 704-887-3132. Digital Optics Corporation
is a proud Equal Opportunity-Affirmative Action Employer.
Summer
Intern. Macro/Utility Developer. Optical Research
Associates. Optical Research Associates (ORA®) has
an opening for a summer intern position as a macro/utility developer
supporting its LightTools optical design software program. ORA
develops, markets and supports state-of-the-art optical CAD/CAE
programs for the layout, design and analysis of image forming and
illumination optical systems. This intern position will be part of
ORA’s Technical Support team. The primary responsibility of
the position includes: Writing macros and utilities in Visual
C++ to support ORA’s LightTools optical/illumination design program.
Requirements of the position: Enrollment in Bachelors degree
in a technical discipline (e.g., Computer Science, Math,
Engineering, Physics). 6+ months experience writing
software in Microsoft Visual C++ . Experience in problem
determination with the ability to solve problems quickly and
accurately. Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to work in a team environment. Familiarity with ORA’s
LightTools optical design program and/or image processing algorithms
preferred, but not required. ORA is a world class, high tech
optical software and optical engineering services company with an
international client base and three branch offices. ORA is
headquartered in Pasadena, CA and was founded in 1963 by the current
Chairman. ORA is privately held and is an equal opportunity
employer with over 80 employees (including 40 engineers). This
position will be located at Corporate Headquarters in Pasadena,
California. Submit resume:
06-08@opticalres.com
Summer Student for
Biometric Iris Study. Authenti-Corp.
Authenti-Corp
is interested in hiring a summer student (well-qualified undergrad
or grad) to assist with the biometric iris recognition research
outlined below. Please see
http://www.authenti-corp.com/iris06/>http://www.authenti-corp.com/iris06/
for additional information. Depending on the negotiated rate, we
could employ a student full time for about 12 weeks. We are located
in Phoenix, near the intersection of I-10 and I-60, and we are able
to employ only US citizens. Presentation Parameter Study.
Explore the influence of presentation parameters, such as pitch,
roll, yaw, eye gaze, and x-y-z position, on the performance of
biometric iris recognition products. This will involve presenting a
mannequin head equipped with artificial eyes, as well as about five
live human test subjects, to various commercial iris recognition
cameras under various controlled poses. A test apparatus has
been designed to move each camera into a variety of different
positions, while the test subject or mannequin head rests against a
stationary headrest. Iris images are acquired at each of the
positions using a computer-controlled test harness, which also
measures the relative angle and position between the eyes and the
camera. The collection volume of each camera will be fully explored
and reported. Of special interest is the performance of each camera
in off-axis positions. Using the results of initial
experiments, several poses of interest will be designated for each
camera that will be explored with a roughly 250-person test
population. To test the large population, location aides will be
developed to accurately position the test subjects and to guide
their head angle. (The larger population will not use the stationary
headrest.) Appointments for the 250-person test population will
begin on 12 June 2006, so the initial experiments that will
determine the poses of interest for the larger test population must
be performed relatively quickly. Controlled experiments with the
test apparatus can continue in parallel with the larger population
experiments. The experimental data will be analyzed and an effective
method for presenting the results in a useful fashion will be
developed. The ultimate customer for these results is law
enforcement officers who need to know how accurately inmates must be
positioned in front of iris recognition cameras to obtain iris
images that can be used for identification purposes. Finally,
a report will be written summarizing the experimental method,
analysis, results, and conclusions of the presentation parameter
study. Cross Spectral Performance Study. Time
permitting, additional data analysis will be performed to study the
performance of iris recognition products as a function of
illumination wavelength. Commercial iris recognition products
illuminate the iris with near infrared (NIR) light such that even
dark eyes reveal identifiable features. However, various products
utilize different NIR LEDs. The influence of illumination with
different spectral bandwidths will be studied by comparing iris
images collected with different cameras and observing the resulting
match scores. Again, a report will be written summarizing the
experimental method, analysis, and results of the cross-spectral
performance study. The summer student will work closely with
Authenti-Corp biometrics and software experts to achieve the tasks
outlined above. E-Mail:
info@authenti-corp.com Corporate Office: 4405 E.
Baseline Road, Suite 118, Phoenix, Arizona 85042-7459. (480)
889-6400. (480) 889-6401 (Fax).
Employment Agency Listing: Senior Optical Engineer,
Holographic Storage, Colorado.
Responsibilities: Will be responsible for various aspects of the
design and development of the opto-mechanical assembly of a
holographic drive product. This will include optical design,
component sourcing, assembly process development and debug, test
development and transfer to manufacturing. Experience:
Minimum of 5 years of experience in laser-based optical systems
development (e.g. optical data storage). Practical expertise a
priority, including optical design (Zemax or OSLO), knowledge of
optomechanical assembly and alignment techniques. Ability to develop
automated test software (LabView or equivalent) highly desirable,
and knowledge of external cavity laser design and/or physical optics
a bonus. Education: : Minimum of a Bachelor's degree in a
relevant field. This is an exclusive listing. All fees payed
by company. Please send resume in a WordDoc to:
garytanis@opticsjobs.net and/or
garytanis@starband.net
cathy.alexander@optics.arizona.edu
University of Arizona College of Optical Sciences
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