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James C. Wyant

Professor Emeritus of Optical Sciences
Professor Emeritus of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Founding Dean of the College of Optical Sciences
Email Address:
jcwyant@optics.arizona.edu
Curriculum Vitae:
Office Location:
Meinel 652 Mailing Address:
College of Optical Sciences
The University of Arizona
1630 E. University Blvd.
P.O. Box 210094
Tucson, AZ 85721-0094
Phone Number:
520-906-0983 Education:
- Ph.D., University of Rochester, 1968
- M.S., University of Rochester, 1967
- B.S., Case Institute of Technology, 1965
Employment:
- Board of Trustees: University of Rochester, 2012-present
Board of Trustees: Case Western Reserve University, 2010-present - Dean: The University of Arizona, College of Optical Sciences, 2005-2012
- Visiting Professor: Changchun University (China), 2005-2010
- Board Chairman: 4D Technology Corp., 2002-date
- Board Member: DMetrix, 2001-2011
- Board Member: Optics 1, 1999-2008
- Director: The University of Arizona, Optical Sciences Center, 1999-2005
- Board Member: Veeco Instruments, 1997-1999
- Board Member: ILX Lightwave, 1988-2012
- Professor: The University of Arizona, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, 1985-present
- President: WYKO Corp., 1984-1997
- Visiting Professor: University of Rochester, Institute of Optics, 1983
- Visiting Scientist: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (Australia), 1983
- Professor: The University of Arizona, Optical Sciences Center/College of Optical Sciences, 1979-present
- Associate Professor: The University of Arizona, Optical Sciences Center, 1976-1979
- Assistant Professor: The University of Arizona, Optical Sciences Center, 1974-1976
- Manager: Itek Corp., Optical Engineering Section, 1974
- Instructor of Mathematics and Physics: Lowell Technological Institute, 1970-1974
- Optical Engineer: Itek Corp., 1968-1974
- Lecturer of Physics: Lowell Technological Institute, 1969-1972
- Research Assistant: University of Rochester, 1965-1966
- Assistant: Libby-Owens-Ford Glass Co., Summers of 1964 and 1965
Professional Affiliations and Activities:
- American Physical Society: Member, Committee on Directed Energy Weapons, 1985-1986
- American Institute of Physics: Member, 1966-present
- The Optical Society (OSA): President, 2010
- OSA: President-Elect, 2009
- OSA: Vice President, 2008
- OSA: Editor-in-Chief, Applied Optics, 2006-2008
- OSA: Investment Subcommittee, 2001-present
- OSA: Fellows and Honorary Members Committee Member, 2001-2002
- OSA: Associate Editor, Optics Express, 1998-present
- OSA: Ives Medal Committee, 1997-1998
- OSA: SOAP Committee Member, 1991-1993
- OSA: SOAP Committee Chairman, 1993
- OSA: Optical Technology Division Editor, Applied Optics, 1992-1997
- OSA: Topical Editor, Optics Letters, 1990-1992
- OSA: Topical Editor, Applied Optics, 1989-1992
- OSA: Fraunhofer Committee Chairman, 1985
- OSA: Fraunhofer Committee Member, 1984-1986
- OSA: Associate Editor, Applied Optics, 1983 and 1988-1992
- OSA: Topical Editor, Journal of the Optical Society of America, 1983-1986
- OSA: Ives Medal Committee 1982
- OSA: Finance and Investment Committee, 1981-1984
- OSA: Executive Committee, 1980-1981
- OSA: Board of Directors, 1979-1981
- OSA: Associate Editor, Journal of the Optical Society of America, 1978-1983
- OSA: Committee on Education, 1978-1980
- OSA: Adolph Lomb Committee, 1977-1978
- OSA: Chairman, Tucson Section, 1976-1977
- OSA: Editorial Advisory Panel, Optics Letters, 1975
- OSA: Member, Tucson Section, 1974-present
- OSA: Member, 1966-present
- Optical Society of India: Lifetime Fellow, 2005-present
- Optical Society of Japan: International Advisory Member, Optical Review, 1999-present
- Optical Society of Korea: Honorary Member, 2010-present
- SPIE: Fellows Committee, 1997-present
- SPIE: President's Advisory Committee, 1997-present
- SPIE: Kingslake Award Committee Chairman, 1988
- SPIE: Immediate Past-President, 1987
- SPIE: President, 1986
- SPIE: President-Elect, 1985
- SPIE: Chairman, 1984
- SPIE: Awards Committee, 1983-1984
- SPIE: Symposia Committee, 1980-1983
- SPIE: Board of Governors, 1978-1984
- SPIE: Associate Editor, Optical Engineering, 1976-1984
- United States Advisory Committee for the International Commission for Optics: Member, 1978-1983
Awards and Honors:
- Arizona Innovator of the Year Product Award, 1993
- NASA: Goddard Achievement Award, 2006
- National Institute of Astrophysics, Optics and Electronics (Mexico): Doctorado Honoris Causa, 2008
- National Academy of Engineering: Member, 2007
- The Optical Society (OSA): Joseph Fraunhofer Award, 1992
- OSA: Fellow, 1977-present
- Optical Society of India: Lifetime Achievement Award, 2007
- Photonics Circle of Excellence Award, 2004, 1993, 1992, 1990, 1988
- Research and Development Magazine: R&D 100 Award, 2005, 2004, 1993
- SPIE: Life Member
- SPIE: Chandra S. Vikram Award in Optical Metrology, 2010
- SPIE: Gold Medal, 2003
- SPIE: Technology Achievement Award, 1988
- SPIE: Fellow, 1980-present
- SPIE: Governors' Award, 1979
- Tom Brown Excellence in Entrepreneurship Award, 2005
- The University of Arizona: Technology Innovation Award, 2005
- The University of Arizona: College of Business and Public Administration, Entrepreneurial Fellow, 1989
- University of Rochester: College of Engineering Distinguished Alumnus Award, 1994
Courses:
OPTI 505
OPTI 513
OPTI 513L
Specific Research Interests:
- Implementation of microcomputers and software to interferometric techniques for optical measurements, in particular for optical testing.
- Testing of supersmooth optical surfaces.
- Measurement of optically rough surfaces.
- Testing of complex aspheric surfaces.
- Development of commercial optical test equipment based on phase-shifting interferometry.
Research Summary:
My major research and development interests involve using interferometric techniques combined with computers and modern electronics to produce "state of the art" solutions for a variety of metrology problems. Particular interests are:
- Demonstrating the use of microcomputers, software and interferometric techniques for measurements of optical components and optical systems, measurement of supersmooth (1 Angstrom rms or less) optical surfaces; absolute measurements of surfaces; measurement of optically rough surfaces; testing of complex aspheric surfaces; dynamic interferometers for precision surface roughness and shape measurements in manufacturing environments and the shape measurement of vibrating surfaces.
- Development of commercial optical test equipment based on phase-shifting interferometry for solving metrology problems in many industries including data storage, semiconductor, machine tool, optical fabrication, fiber optics, printing and biomedical.
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