OSC Professor Russell Chipman has been selected to receive the 2007 G.G. Stokes Award in recognition of his many contributions to the fundamental understanding of polarization, development of polarization mathematics, and advancement of the field of polarization engineering. 

The award is given annually for exceptional contribution to the field of optical polarization and may be presented for a specific achievement, development, or invention of significant importance to optical science or it may be given for lifetime achievement.  The award honors George Gabriel Stokes, a nineteenth-century Irish mathematician and physicist who made important contributions to fluid dynamics, optics, and mathematical physics. 

The award has only been presented three times previously and Russell is the first Optical Sciences faculty member to receive it.  Congratulations, Russell.

First, the 2007-2008 series kicks off in grand style with a special Optics Salsa Performance.  This will be in our third floor lobby, so show up at 11:45 to see what it's all about.

Second, the traditional student-run Community Speakers Series will begin at noon in Meinel 410 with two speakers:  Christoph Baranec will present Astronomical Adaptive Optics Using Multiple Laser Guide Stars and Russell Witte will present Smart Neural Contrast Agents for Photoacoustic Imaging.

For abstracts and more information about the OSC Community Speakers, please visit http://www.optics.arizona.edu/students/Community%20Speakers.html 

Prelims Are Right Around the Corner

Fall 2007:  Anyone who might be thinking about taking the Fall Comprehensive Exam (fondly known as Prelims) and hasn't already signed up, needs to get cracking because the deadline to sign up is August 31.  Sign up in the Academic Programs Office, Meinel 403. 

Spring 2008:  Spring Prelims are scheduled for February 12 and 13.  Students who sign up for the Fall Prelims and decide to postpone until Spring are asked to notify the Academic Office as soon as possible.

Information Meeting:  All students planning to take Fall Prelims should plan to attend a Comprehensive Exam Information Meeting with Rick Shoemaker Tuesday, September 11 at 3:30 p.m. in Meinel 408. 

Friday, August 24, 2007 at 2:00 p.m.

College of Optical Sciences, Room 701

Professor Kishan Dholakia, of the Departments of Physics and Astronomy at the University of St. Andrews in Fife, Scotland, will present Novel Applications of Non Zero Order Light Fields in Micromanipulation and Biophotonics.  Abstract:  In this talk, I will review recent work at St Andrews in the fields of optical micromanipulation and biophotonics. The emphasis will be upon the use of non zero order light fields in these areas: this includes light fields with embedded vortices, e.g. Laguerre-Gaussian beams, non-diffracting light beams such as Bessel modes and interferometric light patterns. Applications of these beams includes optical sorting and fractionation, studies of far field diffraction and vortex arrays. In the domain of biophysics, I will discuss the use of these modes for use in light induced cell transfection, delivering exogenous agents to cells at will and in Raman spectroscopy, where they enable one to reduce the spectra acquisition time.  For more information, please contact OSC Professor Ewan Wright at 621-2406.

Sun Clock Number Two

Watt's Up readers may remember some time back when Steve Jacobs' beautiful sun clock was installed outside the Visitor's Center on Kitt Peak.  Late last year, the clock was destroyed by a sonic boom, so Steve spent many months making a new one.  This time, Gary Poczulp of NOAO added a special silicone coating to protect the partially transparent aluminum from the weather.  The new sun clock was installed just last weekend, so be sure to check it out the next time you are up on the mountain.

The reality of the sun clock was made possible through the great talent and generosity of:

Corning Glass Works:  fused silica material

Charles Amling:  glass focal surface

Greg Lowe:  special durable reflective surface

James Izlar Sr. and Jr.:  mountings

James Hunnicutt:  sandblast mounting

Mike Woods:  spray painting mounting

Steve Johnson:  optical analysis of unexpected on-axis double ring

Click on the thumbnail for a larger version.

Back By Popular Demand:  Sports Friday

Meet on the UA Mall in front of Optical Sciences at 5:30 every Friday.  This week it's Ultimate Frisbee, so bring your discs, some water, and your running shoes/cleats and plan to join the fun.  Every Friday, the group will try to find something different to play.  Everyone is welcome and you don't necessarily have to be good at sports to have fun at Sports Friday.

Campus News

Biomedical Engineering Seminar.  Russell Witte will present Novel Ultrasound Strategies for Biomedical Imaging.  For details, please visit http://www.bme.arizona.edu/bme_seminar.php

Open Enrollment for UA Benefits Ends on September 10.  This year, all benefits-eligible employees must re-enroll.  If you haven't already done so, please visit http://www.hr.arizona.edu/04_cb/benefits/select_enroll/oe/2007/ to get started.