Amit Ashok

Professor of Optical Sciences
Amit Ashok

Meinel 421
Wyant College of Optical Sciences
The University of Arizona
1630 E. University Blvd.
P.O. Box 210094
Tucson, AZ 85721-0094

Additional Affiliations

  • Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Employment

  • Professor: The University of Arizona, College of Optical Sciences, 2023-present
  • Professor: The University of Arizona, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, 2012-2023
  • Assistant Professor: The University of Arizona, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, 2023-present
  • Assistant Professor: The University of Arizona, College of Optical Sciences, 2011-2023
  • Senior Research Scientist: The University of Arizona, Optical Computing and Processing Lab, 2009-2011
  • Graduate Research Assistant: The University of Arizona, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, 2002-2007
  • Senior Scientist: OmniVision CDM Optics Inc., 2007-2009
  • Graduate Research Assistant: University of Cape Town (South Africa), Department of Electrical Engineering, 2000-2001

Professional Affiliations and Activities

  • IEEE: Member
  • The Optical Society (OSA): Senior Member
    OSA: Conference on Computational Optical Sensing and Imaging, Program Chair
  • SPIE: 2019 Senior Member

Awards and Honors

  • SPIE: Three-Dimensional Imaging, Visualization and Display II, Best Paper Award, 2010
  • University of Capetown (South Africa): International Student Scholarship, 1999 and 2000
  • University of Swaziland: Dean's Award for Best Academic Performance, 1998
  • University of Swaziland: Vice-Chancellor Award for Best Academic Performance, 1998
  • University of Swaziland: Sino-Swazi Award for Best Academic Performance, 1995

Specific Research Interests

  • Inverse problems.
  • Bayesian inference.
  • Information theory.
  • Statistical signal processing.
  • Image processing.
  • Machine learning.
  • Computational imaging.
  • Compressive imaging.
  • Optical engineering.
  • High-dimensional imaging.
  • Physical optics.

Research Summary

The Intelligent Imaging and Sensing Lab, under the direction of Amit Ashok, is engaged in conducting cutting-edge research to develop the next generation of optical imagers and sensors via the new paradigm of computational sensing. The computational sensing approach exploits knowledge about information-bearing signals and task-application to realize novel optical imager and sensor designs employing reconfigurable-unconventional optics and sophisticated image processing algorithms to achieve revolutionary performance. This multidisciplinary research draws from varied disciples such as physical optics, optical engineering, statistical optics, signal-image processing, machine learning, statistical inference and computer science. Students in the lab get the opportunity to gain hands-on experience with tabletop optical imaging experiments as well as develop advanced image processing algorithms for CPU-GPU based parallel architectures on the lab's computer cluster capable of six teraflops.

Degree(s)

  • Ph.D., The University of Arizona, 2008
  • M.S., University of Cape Town (South Africa)
  • 2001 B.Sc., University of Swaziland, 1998