2024-2025 Year in Review
The Ohio State Optica Student Chapter had an exciting and productive year filled with lab tours, technical talks, outreach workshops, and professional development opportunities. Here's a look back at the highlights from this academic year:
Lab Tours
Throughout the year, our chapter organized several lab tours to expose members to state-of-the-art research facilities and expand their understanding of experimental optics, lasers, and national laboratory infrastructure.
Scarlet Laser Facility Tour – June 14, 2024
Members visited the Scarlet Laser Facility at The Ohio State University, home to one of the most intense laser systems in the world, capable of generating petawatt-scale pulses. The tour offered insights into advanced research in high-intensity laser applications, particularly in plasma physics and materials science.
Fermi and Argonne National Laboratory Tours – October 10–11, 2024
The chapter toured both Fermi and Argonne National Laboratories. Members received guided tours of particle accelerators and synchrotrons while learning about cutting-edge research in high-energy physics, condensed matter, ultrafast science, and materials discovery.
ZEUS Laboratory Tour – October 28, 2024
At the University of Michigan, members explored the ZEUS (Zettawatt-Equivalent Ultrashort pulse laser System) facility—set to become the most powerful laser in the United States. The system delivers ultrafast pulses with peak powers reaching 3 petawatts, enabling investigations into extreme states of matter, high-field quantum electrodynamics, and particle acceleration. The visit provided a behind-the-scenes look at groundbreaking research and ZEUS’s role in shaping the future of laser science.
SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory Virtual Tour – November 21, 2024
Our chapter hosted a virtual tour of the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, including an overview of the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS). The event featured a one-hour walkthrough, followed by a Q&A with SLAC scientists, who discussed research careers at national labs. Attendees engaged in meaningful dialogue while enjoying pizza and drinks, fostering both learning and community.
Talks
This year, the chapter hosted a series of engaging talks from faculty, guest researchers, and students, offering a platform for sharing innovative research and fostering discussion in the optics and photonics community.
Professor Daniel Gauthier – “The Photon Nature of Light” – July 11, 2024
Professor Gauthier delivered an engaging seminar on the fundamental nature of light as photons. He explored the quantum properties of light, the principles of quantum optics, and their implications for modern optical technologies. The talk was accessible and insightful for students at all levels.
Spencer Burton – “Probing the Photophysical Properties of a New Co(III) Synthesizer with Ultrafast Spectroscopy” – July 25, 2024
Graduate student Spencer Burton presented his research on the photophysical properties of a novel cobalt (III) synthesizer using ultrafast spectroscopy. The talk promoted peer-to-peer knowledge exchange and offered a detailed look into experimental photochemistry.
Professor Daniel Gauthier – “Basics of Photonic Quantum Computing” – August 22, 2024
In his second talk, Professor Gauthier introduced the fundamentals of photonic quantum computing. He covered core concepts, potential applications, and current challenges in the field, sparking strong interest in emerging quantum technologies.
Dr. Kevin Singh – “Dual-Species Neutral Atom Quantum Processors” – January 29, 2025
Dr. Singh presented his research on dual-species neutral atom quantum processors, offering insights into their role in scalable quantum computing. His seminar opened the spring semester and was paired with the chapter’s first general body meeting, encouraging new involvement in the executive board.
Dr. William Carpenter – “Anti-Brownian Electrokinetic Trapping of Single Molecules and Nanoparticles in Solution” – March 20, 2025
Dr. Carpenter discussed the principles and applications of anti-Brownian electrokinetic trapping (ABEL), a technique that enables real-time manipulation and observation of single molecules and nanoparticles in solution. The talk highlighted key advances in nanoscale precision and analysis.
Professor Louis DiMauro – “Is There a Strong Field Limit in the X-Ray Regime?” – March 27, 2025
Professor DiMauro explored strong-field interactions in the X-ray regime, examining potential limits and their implications for attosecond and ultrafast X-ray science. The seminar drew connections between fundamental physics and high-intensity light–matter studies.
Workshops
1st Annual OPTICA Student Symposium – September 27, 2024
The chapter held its first-ever Student Symposium, featuring research presentations from six graduate students across Physics, Chemistry, and Engineering. With over 30 attendees, the symposium served as a valuable opportunity for academic exchange and networking.
Presentations included:
- High-order Harmonic Generation in Solids – Hwihyeon Kang
- Spectral and Temporal Characterization of UV Resonant Dispersive Waves – Chelsea Kincaid
- Exploring the Influence of Interfacial Solvation of Electromechanical CO₂ Reduction Using Plasmon-Enhanced Vibrational Sum Frequency Generation Spectroscopy – Jaclyn Rebstock
- Transient Absorption Spectroscopy: A Tool for Probing the Mechanism of Dirhodium (II,II) Photocatalysts for H₂ Evolution – Piyush Gupta
- Relativistic Effects and Spin-Orbit Delays in Methyl Iodide – Brock Grafstrom
- Anisotropic Temperature and Polarization Dependence of Third Harmonic Generation in Van der Waals Layered Material AgScP₂S₆ – Mohamed Yaseen Noor
Judges: TJ Ronningen, Abraham Camacho, and William Carpenter
Winners:
- 🥇 1st place: Jaclyn Rebstock
- 🥈 2nd place: Brock Grafstrom
- 🥉 3rd place: Chelsea Kincaid
The symposium was a great success and reflects the chapter’s ongoing mission to foster professional development and showcase emerging research in optics and photonics. Special thanks to the Institute for Optical Science for its continued sponsorship.
“Physics of Light” Workshop for Middle School Students – April 2025
The OPTICA Student Chapter hosted local middle school students for a hands-on Physics of Light workshop, featuring interactive presentations, games, and live demonstrations designed to introduce the fundamentals of optics and photonics. The event offered a fun and educational experience for young students while giving chapter members a chance to practice science communication.
We thank all the chapter officers and volunteers who made the event a success, especially Dina S. Eissa for coordinating with the school.
Special thanks to:
- Pushkar Shirahatti, Katherine Indyk, Shramana Bera, and Ted Busch – Presentation preparation
- Michael Hill – Experiment organization
- Reagan Massey – Game design
- Chelsea Kincaid – Student support during experiments
OPTICA Traveling Lecturer
Dr. Philip Bucksbaum – “Laser Control of Sub-Femtosecond Motion in Atoms and Molecules” – May 28, 2025
As part of the OPTICA Traveling Lecturer Program, we were honored to host Dr. Philip Bucksbaum from Stanford University, where he holds appointments in Physics, Applied Physics, and Photon Science, as well as the Stanford PULSE Institute.
The event began with a lunch and meet-and-greet at 12:30 PM, generously sponsored by the Institute for Optical Science at The Ohio State University. This was followed by a seminar at 1:00 PM in the Physics Research Building.
Dr. Bucksbaum delivered an engaging talk titled “Laser Control of Sub-Femtosecond Motion in Atoms and Molecules”, where he discussed ultrafast laser control techniques and their applications in probing and manipulating quantum systems. The seminar drew a broad audience and provided an excellent opportunity for students and researchers to interact with a leader in the field.
Industry & Career Engagement
Edmund Optics Tech Talk – November 12, 2024
The OPTICA Student Chapter hosted a “Lunch and Learn” with Edmund Optics on November 12, welcoming students to explore real-world applications of ultrafast optics and gain insights into transitioning from academia to industry.
Held in PRB 1080, the session covered career pathways in optics, highlighted industrial applications of laser technologies, and created a space for informal networking. Lunch was generously provided by Edmund Optics.
This event emphasized the chapter’s continued effort to connect students with professionals in the field and support career development outside the academic track.
