The University of Arizona College of Optical Sciences, considered the largest institute for optics education in the United States, is dedicated to research and education in optics with an emphasis on engineering. The college focuses on providing solutions for the optics industry worldwide by initiating internationally recognized research programs and offering more than 90 courses in optical sciences. The college offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Optical Sciences and Engineering, Masters and Doctoral degree programs in Optical Sciences, as well as a dual Masters degree in Optical Sciences and Business Administration. The college also offers comprehensive distance learning courses leading to a Professional Graduate Certificate or a Master's degree and markets non-credit short courses on DVD to optics professionals.

History

The creation of the Optical Sciences Center, as the College was formerly known, was proposed by the Air Force Institute of Technology, together with the Needs in Optics Committee of the Optical Society of America and Dr. Aden Meinel, Director of Steward Observatory at the University of Arizona in the early 1960s. The Center was established in 1964 thanks to the financial support of the University of Arizona Foundation with Dr. Aden Meinel as its first Director. The first research contracts given to the College came from the United States Air Force. Today, the College has partnerships with more than 40 corporations.

Notable faculty

The College of Optical Sciences faculty include many of the leaders in optics, photonics, and applied physics.

• Professor James Wyant: Leader in the field of optical metrology, founder of several optics companies, current president of the Optical Society of America
  Optical Society of America
  The Optical Society is a scientific society dedicated to advancing the study of light—optics and photonics—in theory and application, by means of publishing, organizing conferences and exhibitions, partnership with industry, and education. The organization has members in more than 100 countries...
  
  .
• Professor Nicolaas Bloembergen
  Nicolaas Bloembergen
  Nicolaas Bloembergen is a Dutch-American physicist and Nobel laureate.He received his Ph.D. degree from University of Leiden in 1948; while pursuing his PhD at Harvard, Bloembergen also worked part-time as a graduate research assistant for Edward Mills Purcell at the MIT Radiation Laboratory...
  
  : 1981 Physics Nobel Laureate, pioneered the field of non-linear optics.
• Professor Micheal Marcellin: Regents Professor, co-leader of the JPEG2000 group, paved the way for modern developments in image and video compression techniques.
• Professor Hyatt Gibbs: Leader in the field of semi-conductor quantum optics.
• Professor Harrison Barrett: Published several advances in the field of imaging.

Research

The College offers research opportunities in many areas including

External links

• College of Optical Sciences
• University of Arizona