College News

Stop by the Meinel building and you will find a stunning mural in the 4th floor hallway! This vibrant masterpiece, designed by undergraduate art student, Nina Garcia, is a testament to the incredible collaboration between students from the College of Fine Arts and the Wyant College of Optical Sciences.

Associate Professor Judy Su was selected for the 2025 Class of SPIE Fellows. The society is welcoming 47 new fellows from across the globe. According to SPIE, "Fellows are Members of the Society who have made significant scientific and technical contributions in the multidisciplinary fields of optics, photonics, and imaging. Since the Society's inception in 1955, more than 1,800 SPIE Members have become Fellows."

The new year began with the 10th annual 2025 Optical Sciences Winter School running from January 7 - 10 at the Wyant College of Optical Sciences. More than 50 undergraduates from across the country attended. Students visited from institutions including the American University, Colgate Univ., Delaware State Univ., Illinois Weslyan Univ., Rochester Institute of Technology and many more!

Graduating students and their loved ones, along with Wyant College staff and faculty, gathered on Friday, Dec. 20 to celebrate the Wyant College of Optical Sciences' Winter Convocation. The intimate ceremony was followed by a light spread and cake in the Meinel 3rd floor lobby.

Two new staff members have joined the Wyant College of Optical Sciences! Lisa Kondrat is a new administrative associate and Mike Kelso is the new building operations coordinator. Welcome Lisa and Mike!

Students, Do you have an original research question you’d like to explore? 

This new initiative provides awards to undergraduates across all campus colleges for original, innovative student-generated research projects. 10-12 awardees per year will be competitively selected by a cross-campus multidisciplinary committee to receive $1,000-$1,500 each to pursue their research question with a faculty mentor of their choice. The award may be used for stipend/salary, travel, supplies, equipment, and other costs. Find the full details and how to apply here.

Dr. Derek Burrell, OSC alumnus 2023, was named the recipient of the 2024 Optical Group Doctoral Thesis Prize from the Institute of Physics (IOP). This prestigious award recognizes outstanding doctoral research defended in 2023 and highlights groundbreaking contributions to the field of optical science. Reflecting on the award, Derek expressed gratitude for the opportunities at OSC and the collaboration with his advisor, Ron Driggers, professor of optical sciences, with whom he continues to publish.

The final staff recognition awards were presented during the Wyant College Staff Appreciation and Holiday Luncheon. Awards presented included the 4th Quarter Peer-to-Peer, Jason Orlowski; November SPOT Award, Hillary Mathis; and the Honorable Mention, Ian Arnold; and Employee of the Year, Nathan Martinez.

On December 12th outside of the Meinel building, the final staff recognition awards were presented after a fantastic meal during the Wyant College Staff Appreciation and Holiday Luncheon. Awards presented included the 4th Quarter Peer-to-Peer, Jason Orlowski; November SPOT Award, Hillary Mathis; and the Honorable Mention, Ian Arnold; and Employee of the Year, Nathan Martinez. The celebration ended with a lively series of karaoke!

Shibin Jiang, adjunct research professor of Wyant College of Optical Sciences, was named fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, one of two Arizona faculty members elected for 2024. Jiang has been recognized globally as a pioneer in photonic glasses, fiber amplifiers and lasers, and he holds 52 U.S. patents. His academic contributions include editing 40 books and eight special journal issues and publishing 98 papers in peer-reviewed journals.