Optica Foundation Announces 2025 Optica Ambassadors
About Optica
10 January 2025
Optica Foundation Announces 2025 Optica Ambassadors
Ambassadors provide mentorship and support student and early-career professional engagement worldwide, building our community's next generation of scientists, engineers, technologists, and leaders.
WASHINGTON – The Optica Foundation announces ten exceptional early-career members who will serve as the 2025 class of Optica Ambassadors. Following a competitive application process, Ambassadors are chosen for their outstanding dedication to the Optica community. These emerging leaders are set to provide guidance and support to young worldwide helping to promote and enable successful careers in optics and photonics.
“Since 2016, our dedicated Ambassadors have offered mentorship for career paths and professional and technical expertise,” said Eric Mazur, Chair, Optica Foundation Board of Directors. “This upcoming class evokes Optica’s core values of innovation, integrity, inclusivity and impact and will offer fresh perspectives to our global community.”
Supported by the Optica Foundation's annual fund, Ambassadors engage with Optica Student Chapters, offering training and sharing insights through virtual meetups and in-person programs. Their role extends to nurturing early-career researchers, fostering a sense of belonging and purpose in optics and photonics. Ambassadors play an essential role in demonstrating career opportunities in academia, industry, and government roles and helping to ensure inclusion among our global community.
“As an Ambassador, I am able to give back to our community by connecting with young researchers all over the world,” said George Dwapanyin, University of St Andrews, United Kingdom. “I am thrilled with how far the encouragement and advice I have been able to offer has gone and feel that the interest and understanding of opportunities in photonics is rapidly growing for all the young researchers I have met.
The 2025 Optica Ambassadors are:
- Milvia Alata, KU Leuven, Belgium
- Isabel Allegro, Jenoptik Optical Systems GmbH, Germany
- Neda Baktash, Coherent Corp, United Kingdom
- Claire Cisowski, University of Glasgow, United Kingdom
- Begüm Kabagöz, LIGO Livingston – Caltech, United States
- Diana Mojahed, Lightfinder, United States
- Justus Ndukaife, Vanderbilt University, USA
- Andrea Pacheco, Politecnico di Milano, Italy
- Fabian Ruf, ZEISS, Germany
- Olivia Wheeler-Williams, Edmund Optics, United States
Optica Foundation
Established in 2002, the Optica Foundation carries out charitable activities in support of the society’s student and early career members. We cultivate the next generation of leaders and innovators as they navigate advanced degree programs and become active members of research, engineering and business communities worldwide. The foundation also works to secure the endowments for Optica’s awards and honors programs. The foundation is registered as a 501(c)(3) non-profit. For more information, visit optica.org/foundation.
About Optica
Optica, Advancing Optics and Photonics Worldwide, is the society dedicated to promoting the generation, application, archiving and dissemination of knowledge in the field. Founded in 1916, it is the leading organization for scientists, engineers, business professionals, students and others interested in the science of light. Optica's renowned publications, meetings, online resources and in-person activities fuel discoveries, shape real-life applications and accelerate scientific, technical and educational achievement. Discover more at: Optica.org
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