2022 Esther Hoffman Beller Medal Winner

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Optica Names Julie Bentley the 2022 Esther Hoffman Beller Medal Recipient

Optica (formerly OSA) is pleased to announce that Julie Bentley, University of Rochester, USA, has been selected as the 2022 recipient of the Esther Hoffman Beller Medal. Bentley is honored for her central role in shaping the optics education of countless undergraduate and graduate students.

Julie Bentley received her BS degree and PhD from the Institute of Optics, University of Rochester, USA. She is currently a Professor at The Institute of Optics and has been teaching courses in geometrical optics, optical design, and product design for more than 22 years.

Bentley’s expertise is in the optical design and tolerancing of precision optical assemblies. She has published multiple books on lens design and teaches short courses to industrial partners all over the world. Prior to joining the faculty full-time, she managed a commercial team at Corning Tropel, USA, where her role was to serve as the link between the customer and the research and development groups. She used this experience to start her own successful optical design consulting business (Bentley Optical Design) and currently works on a wide variety of design projects from biomedical instruments for cancer screening to both consumer and military optics.

She has served as an Optics Express editor and on several Optica committees, including the program committees for the Education and Training in Optics & Photonics Conference (ETOP), the International Optical Design Conference, and Frontiers in Optics. An Optica Fellow, she also received the University of Rochester’s prestigious Goergen Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching.

Established in 1993, the Beller Medal is presented for outstanding contributions to education in optical science and engineering. Consideration is given to outstanding teaching and/or original work in optics education that enhances the understanding of optics. The scope of the award is international, and candidates at every career stage are considered. It is endowed by a bequest from the estate of Esther Hoffman Beller.

About Optica

Optica (formerly OSA), Advancing Optics and Photonics Worldwide, is the society dedicated to promoting the generation, application, archiving and dissemination of knowledge in the field. Founded in 1916, it is the leading organization for scientists, engineers, business professionals, students and others interested in the science of light. Optica’s renowned publications, meetings, online resources and in-person activities fuel discoveries, shape real-life applications and accelerate scientific, technical and educational achievement.