Chapter News

March 14 , 2025

Congratulations to Ziqi Niu, who successfully defended his PhD thesis entitled, "Development of Quantum Information and Sensing Tools Based on Four-Wave Mixing in Hot Rubidium Vapor ".

Ziqi will continue his work in quantum optics as a postdoctoral researcher at Purdue University in the group of Shengwang Du

February 27-28 , 2025

Our Optica members participated in William & Mary's Graduate Research Symposium to present their research.

Shoutout to Trevor Tingle, who took home the top prize for his poster, "Ultracold Potassium and Microwave Atom Chips for Atom Interferometry"

September 23-26 , 2024

Several of our student members attended the FIO+LS conference in Denver, CO this year to present their research. We had a fantastic time learning about cutting edge research in optics and made many connections. Additionally, we were able to meet up with W&M PhD alumni Nik Prajapati, now at NIST Boulder, to check out some of the world-class research going on at NIST.

September 12, 2024

Several of our Optica chapter members took part in the Quantum Leap Career Nexus event hosted at the University of Maryland. We had a great time discussing careers in quantum technology with several companies and government labs, and also touring the labs at UM.

May 22, 2024

We began our W&M Optica Summer School today with a lecture by Nic DeStefano on semi-classical light-atom interactions. Thanks for a great start to the summer session, Nic!

April 17-18, 2024

Our Optica chapter visited Tabb Middle School and Bell Creek Middle School as part of our outreach program to show off some cool physics.

November 3-5, 2023

Several of our Optica (formally OSA) student chapter members presented their research at the APS Mid-Atlantic Section Conference at the University of Delaware this weekend. Not pictured is Robert Behary, who presented work on "Reducing the EIT resonance width using Rydberg Raman-Ramsey (R3)".

Ziqi Niu presenting their work "Toward two-color intensity squeezing at telecom wavelength using FWM in Rb vapor"

William Miyahira presenting their work "Experimental Suppression of Potential Roughness in an AC Zeeman Atom Chip Trap"

Charris Gabaldon presenting their work "Imaging Quantum Spatial Modes"

Nicolas DeStefano presenting their work "Electron Beam Profiling Using Coherent Atomic Magnetometry"

October 21, 2023

We had a great time volunteering at the William & Mary Physics Fest this weekend! This annual event during homecoming weekend opens up the physics department to the general public to inspire and inform people about the wide world of physics. This year, our chapter of Optica (formally OSA) built a laser shooting range to let people interact with lasers, photodiodes, and software control using an Arduino. It was a big hit, and we thank the Physics Fest organizers for letting us show off our creation!!

Physics Fest patron playing the laser shooting range and having a great time!

Chapter president Rob Behary signing off on the "laser death machine"

July 26, 2023

Vice-President William Miyahira discussed what he learned from the career seminars at this years DAMOP meeting regarding professional self-assessment, networking, and skill-based resume writing. The slides can be found here.

July 21, 2023

W&M Optica welcomed Dr. Megan Ivory, an alumni of the ultracold AMO group, to talk about her career in AMO science. Megan has experience working in both industry and academia and is now a scientist at Sandia National Laboratory working in the ion trapping group. She also works to improve diversity and representation in the quantum workforce by introducing quantum science to students and educators. We had a great time talking with Megan and gained a lot of insight into a career in quantum science!

May 1, 2023

Congratulations to our newly elected officers for the 2023-24 term: Robert Behary (president), William Miyahira (vice president), Nic Destefano (treasurer), and Chester Zimmerman (secretary).

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