Four Southampton scientists awarded Fellowships by the Optical Society of America
The University of Southampton's status as a leading international centre for photonics research has been highlighted with four of its senior academics being awarded Fellowships by the Optical Society of America (OSA). The OSA is the premier international learned society for scientists working in optics and photonics, and is behind the top academic journals and conferences in this field. The appointment of four Fellows at a single institution is a highly unusual event.
The OSA Fellowships2006 have been awarded to Professors Anne Tropper and Jeremy Baumberg from the School of Physics and Astronomy, Professor Andy Clarkson from the Optoelectronics Research Centre and Professor Harvey Rutt from the School of Electronics and Computer Science.
"These awards recognise the outstanding achievements of these four new Fellows in their diverse areas in optical research and their potential for future discovery," commented Professor Joe Hammond, Dean of the University's Faculty of Engineering, Science and Mathematics. "The fact that these awards cover three University schools demonstrates the collaborative and multi-disciplinary approach needed when moving forward in photonics."
Southampton has strong links to the OSA, and is home to their largest student chapter. Professor David Hanna, Deputy Director of the Optoelectronics Research Centre at the University of Southampton, Fellow and a former Director-at-large of the OSA, expressed his enthusiastic welcome.
"I'm very pleased to see my colleagues recognised in this way, as it is very well deserved," said Professor Hanna. "I hope that this will further reinforce the bonds we have with the OSA, and promote the increasing internationalisation of the organisation."
Notes for editors
- Optical Society of America - www.osa.org
Founded in 1916, the Optical Society of America (OSA) was organized to increase and diffuse the knowledge of optics, pure and applied; to promote the common interests of investigators of optical problems, of designers and of users of optical apparatus of all kinds; and to encourage cooperation among them. The purposes of the Society are scientific, technical and educational.
The mission of OSA is to promote the generation, application and archiving of knowledge in optics and photonics and to disseminate this knowledge worldwide.
The OSA has more than 14,000 members in over 80 countries. There are approximately 1,000 Fellows of the society, with around one third from outside the USA. - Fellowship Citations
* Professor Anne Tropper, School of Physics and Astronomy
'...for pioneering work in the development of rare-earth doped glass fibre lasers, planar waveguide lasers, and ultrashort-pulse semiconductor lasers.'
* Professor Jeremy Baumberg, School of Physics and Astronomy
'...for pioneering developments in ultrafast spectroscopy and investigation of photonics materials, including magnetic semiconductors, coherent control, photonic crystals, semiconductor microcavities and nano-materials.'
* Professor Harvey Rutt, School of Electronics & Computer Science
'...for pioneering contributions to infrared science and technology including the discovery and development of new optically pumped molecular gas lasers.'
* Professor Andy Clarkson, Optoelectronics Research Centre
'...for pioneering contributions to solid-state lasers and fibre lasers, particularly in techniques for scaling their power and brightness.' - The University of Southampton is one of the UK's top 10 research universities, with a global reputation for excellence in both teaching and research. With first-rate opportunities and facilities across a wide range of subjects in science and engineering, health, arts and humanities, the University has around 20,000 students and 5000 staff at its campuses in Southampton and Winchester. Its annual turnover is in the region of £274 million.
Southampton is recognised internationally for its leading-edge research in engineering, science, computer science and medicine, and for its strong enterprise agenda. It is home to world-leading research centres, including the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton; the Institute of Sound and Vibration Research; the Optoelectronics Research Centre; the Textile Conservation Centre; the Centre for the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease; and the Mountbatten Centre for International Studies.