
Institute of Optics specialized in devices for night warfare
By the time the United States formally entered World War II, Brian O’Brien and his colleagues at the Institute of Optics had “essentially initiated the whole science of night warfare.”

100th Optical Society meeting a showcase for research
Next-generation endoscopes to diagnose cancer and high-power laser amplifiers for communications will be more feasible, thanks to University researchers whose work will be showcased at the Optical Society’s 100th annual meeting.

‘Optical spring’ enables detection of single molecules
Using the spring force produced by light circulating in a miniaturized resonator, a team of engineering researchers from the University of Rochester and the University of Victoria has discovered a new approach to detecting single particles.

$2 million to add efficiency to integrated quantum photonics
Rochester researchers working on the next generation of quantum information processing have received a $2 million boost from the National Science Foundation.

Stronger terahertz waves allow safer detection of hidden objects
Terahertz (THz) waves are capable of sensing and imaging objects behind barriers, making them a promising tool for Homeland Security and other law enforcement agencies.

NSF CAREER winners blend research and education
Four Rochester researchers are among the latest recipients of the National Science Foundation’s most prestigious award for junior faculty members.

A digital ‘Rochester Cloak’ to fit all sizes
Using the same mathematical framework as the Rochester Cloak, researchers have been able to use flat screen displays to extend the range of angles that can be hidden from view. Their method lays out how cloaks of arbitrary shapes, that work from multiple viewpoints, may be practically realized in the near future using commercially available digital devices.

Researchers demonstrate record optical nonlinearity
A team led by Robert Boyd has demonstrated that the transparent, electrical conductor indium tin oxide can result in up to 100 times greater nonlinearity than other known materials, a potential ‘game changer’ for photonics applications.

Pedro Vallejo-Ramirez ’16 named Gates Cambridge scholar
Pedro Vallejo-Ramirez ’16 is the first Rochester senior to be selected for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship, one of the most highly regarded international academic scholarship programs. The optical engineering major plans to pursue a master’s degree in biotechnology at Cambridge University.

Sigma Xi awards David R. Williams the William Procter Prize for Scientific Achievement
David R. Williams, widely regarded as one of the world’s leading experts on human vision and pioneer in the use of adaptive optics technologies for vision applications, serves as the William G. Allyn Professor of Medical Optics, director of the Center for Visual Science, and dean for research in Arts, Science & Engineering.