Van Stryland is OSA Vice President for 2004

On 2 January, Eric Van Stryland, director of the School of Optics/Center for Research and Education in Optics and Lasers (CREOL) and a professor at the University of Central Florida (UCF) in Orlando, begins his term as the Optical Society of America’s vice president. Van Stryland, who succeeds Susan Houde-Walter (see Physics Today, December 2002, page 75 ), will become president-elect in 2005 and will serve as president in 2006. Peter Knight begins his term as the OSA president for 2004 (see Physics Today, January 2002, page 69 ).

Van Stryland graduated in 1970 with a BS in physics from Humboldt State University in Arcata, California. While working at the Optical Sciences Center at the University of Arizona in Tucson, he completed his MS (1975) and PhD (1976), both in physics. He then spent two years in the Center for Laser Studies at the University of Southern California, and subsequently joined the University of North Texas in 1978 as an assistant professor of physics. He was a founding member of the Center for Applied Quantum Electronics at North Texas and served as the center’s chairman from 1983 to 1985. In 1987, he joined UCF as a professor of physics and electrical and computer engineering and in 1998 helped establish the School of Optics, where he is now director. His current research interests involve the characterization of the nonlinear optical properties of materials and their temporal response and the applications of those properties for sensor protection, switching, and beam control.

In his candidate’s statement, Van Stryland said he would “focus on furthering the society’s commitment to education and international outreach.” He also plans to “work with the OSA board to determine new ways to encourage and expand the society’s volunteer base, as well as embrace the developing fields of optics and photonics, including biophotonics and nanotechnology.”

Also taking office this month for three-year terms are OSA’s new directors at large: Martin Fejer (Stanford University), Julie Fouquet (Agilent Laboratories in Palo Alto, California), and Katherine Hall (PhotonEx in Maynard, Massachusetts).