OSA Elects Eberly Vice President

Joseph Eberly became vice president of the Optical Society of America in January. He will be president-elect in 2006 and president in 2007. His OSA activities include stints on the board of directors and the board of editors. He succeeds Eric Van Stryland; Susan Houde-Walter is president for 2005 (see Physics Today, January 2004, page 65 ; December 2002, page 75 ).

Eberly is the Andrew Carnegie Professor of Physics and a professor of optics at the University of Rochester. He is director of the Rochester Theory Center for Optical Science and Engineering, and his research interests are in theoretical quantum optics and atomic, molecular, and optical science. He received his BS in physics in 1957 from Pennsylvania State University and his PhD in physics from Stanford University in 1962.

In his personal statement before the election, Eberly said, “The guiding themes of OSA are discovery and development in science and technology, and we’re proud of the high standards we set for our journals and meetings.” He continued, “I strongly support OSA’s initiatives that assist educators motivated to share with their students the thrill of exploration in optics. The same motivation engages all OSA members who share their knowledge beyond the classroom.” Eberly concluded his remarks by saying, “Good past stewardship of impressive resources in funds, personnel and reputation now superbly position OSA for long-term growth in membership and allow us to contemplate with confidence future initiatives in service to the membership in education, meetings, publishing and public policy.”

Also inducted in January were the society’s new directors at large, who replace three outgoing members on the board. Christopher Dainty is Science Foundation of Ireland Professor of Experimental Physics at the National University of Ireland, Galway Peter Delfyett is University Trustee Chair Professor of Optics, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Physics at the Center for Research and Education in Optics and Lasers, Florida Photonics Center for Excellence, at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. Donna Strickland is an associate professor in the department of physics at the University of Waterloo in Canada.