SPIE Student Chapter Faculty Talk Series: “Perspectives
on a Research Career – from Industrial Research at Bell Communications Research
to Academia” by Dr. Peter J. Delfyett
Friday, September 26, 2014 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM
CREOL Room 103
CREOL Room 103
Abstract:
This presentation will be a personal perspective on how one
can manage their research career, whether it is in a world class industrial
research lab or in a research intensive university. I will try to highlight the
inherent challenges and rewards one might encounter on either path. I
will also discuss the transition from graduate school to the professional
career, as well as suggest possible strategies to help in navigating the
difficult times.
Biography:
Peter J. Delfyett received the B.E.(E.E.) degree from The
City College of New York in 1981, the M.S. degree in EE from The University of
Rochester in 1983, the M. Phil and Ph.D. degrees from The Graduate
School & University Center of the City University of New York in 1987 and
1988, respectively. His Ph.D. thesis was focused on developing a real
time ultrafast spectroscopic probe to study molecular and phonon dynamics in
condensed matter using optical phase conjugation techniques.
After obtaining the Ph.D. degree, he joined Bell
Communication Research as a Member of the Technical Staff, where he
concentrated his efforts towards generating ultrafast high power optical pulses
from semiconductor diode lasers, for applications in applied photonic networks.
Some of his technical accomplishments were the development of the world’s
fastest, most powerful modelocked semiconductor laser diode, the demonstration
of an optically distributed clocking network for high speed digital switches
and supercomputer applications, and the first observation of the optical
nonlinearity induced by the cooling of highly excited electron-hole pairs in
semiconductor optical amplifiers. While at Bellcore, Dr. Delfyett
received numerous awards for his technical achievements in these areas,
including the Bellcore Synergy Award and the Bellcore Award of Appreciation.
Dr. Delfyett joined the faculty at the College of Optics
& Photonics and the Center for Research and Education in Optics and Lasers
(CREOL) at the University of Central Florida in 1993, and currently holds the
positions of University of Central Florida Trustee Chair Professor of Optics,
ECE & Physics.
Dr. Delfyett served as the Editor-in-Chief of the IEEE
Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics (2001-2006), and served on
the Board of Directors of the Optical Society of America. He served as an
Associate Editor of IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, was Executive Editor of
IEEE LEOS Newsletter (1995-2000) and sits on the Presidential Science Advisory
Council of the Orlando Science Center. He is a Fellow of the Optical
Society of America, Fellow of IEEE Photonics Society, Fellow of the American
Physical Society, and a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, was a
member of the Board of Governors of IEEE-LEOS (2000-2002), and is also a member
of Tau Beta Pi, Eta Kappa Nu, and Sigma Xi, and SPIE. Dr. Delfyett has been
awarded the 1992 YMCA New Jersey Black Achievement Award, the 1993 National
Black Engineer of the Year Award – Most Promising Engineer, the University
Distinguished Research Award ’99, and highlighted in Design News’ “Engineering
Achievement Awards”. In addition, Dr. Delfyett has been awarded the
National Science Foundation’s Presidential Faculty Fellow Early Career Award
for Scientists and Engineers, which is awarded to the Nation’s top 20 young
scientists. Dr. Delfyett has published over 700 articles in refereed
journals and conference proceedings, has been awarded 36 United States Patents,
and has been highlighted on ‘C-SPAN’, “mainstreekweek.com” and in
“Career Encounters”, a PBS Special on technical careers in the optics and
photonics field. Dr. Delfyett was awarded the 1999 University
Distinguished Researcher of the Year Award, the 2000 Black Engineer of the Year
Award – Outstanding Alumnus Achievement, and the 2000 Excellence in Graduate
Teaching Award. He was awarded the University of Central Florida’s 2001
Pegasus Professor Award which is the highest honor awarded by the
University. He is also a Founding Member in NSF’s Scientists and Engineers
in the School Program, which is a program to teach 8th graders
about the benefits of science, engineering and technology in society. In
2003, Dr. Delfyett received the Technology Innovation Awardfrom the Orlando
Economic Development Commission. He was selected as one of the “50 Most
Important Blacks in Research Science in 2004” and as a “Science Trailblazer in
2005 and 2006” by Career Communications Group and Science Spectrum
Magazine. He was awarded the APS Edward Bouchet Award for his significant
scientific contributions in the area of ultrafast optical device physics and
semiconductor diode based ultrafast lasers, and for his exemplary and
continuing efforts in the career development of underrepresented minorities in
science and engineering. Dr. Delfyett has also endeavored to transfer
technology to the private sector, and helped to found “Raydiance, Inc.” which
is a spin-off company developing high power, ultrafast laser systems, based on
Dr. Delfyett’s research, for applications in medicine, defense, material
processing, biotech and other key technological markets. Dr.
Delfyett was also elected to serve 2 terms as President of the National Society
of Black Physicists (2008-2012). Most recently, he was awarded the 2014
Medalist from the Florida Academy of Sciences for his outstanding contributions
scientific research, and to the stimulation of interest and promotion of
scientific knowledge.
For additional information
Javed Rouf Talukder
President of SPIE student chapter
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