Optica Publishing Group Announces New Editors-in-Chief for Four Journals
About Optica
29 January 2026
Optica Publishing Group Announces New Editors-in-Chief for Four Journals
WASHINGTON —Optica Publishing Group is pleased to announce that Peter E. Andersen, Thomas F. Krauss, Curtis R. Menyuk, and Carsten Rockstuhl have been appointed as the new editors-in-chief of Applied Optics, Optica, Advances in Optics and Photonics, and Optics Letters, respectively.
Peter E. Andersen, Applied Optics
Andersen leads the Biophotonic Imaging Group at DTU Health Tech, Technical University of Denmark, and is Head of the DTU Health Tech PhD School. With more than 25 years of experience in biophotonics and light-source technology, his research focuses on multimodal imaging and translating these technologies into clinical practice. In 2014, Andersen co-founded Norlase ApS (Ballerup, Denmark), which develops laser-based ophthalmic treatment systems for diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, and glaucoma. A Fellow of Optica and SPIE, his service to the community includes co-founding the International Graduate Summer School on Biophotonics, held in Sweden. Andersen received Optica’s Esther Hoffman Beller Medal in 2025 for advancing PhD education in biophotonics. His editorial experience includes serving as a deputy editor and topical editor for Optics Letters, and on other high-profile editorial boards.
Andersen takes over the editor-in-chief position from Gisele Bennett, who led the journal from 2021 – 2025 and is now the President of Optica. When asked about his new role, Andersen stated: “Optics is an ever evolving and vibrant research field. Applied Optics is already in a strong position to be a primary source of application-driven research based on optics and photonics. I am honored to become a part of the Journal’s legacy and contribute to its continued success.”
Thomas F. Krauss, Optica
Krauss is a distinguished researcher and professor of photonics at the University of York, United Kingdom, where he serves as Head of the Photonics group and the Nanocentre Cleanroom, as well as CEO of Phorest Diagnostics, a company he co-founded in 2022. Widely recognized for his seminal work in nanophotonics and photonic crystals, Krauss’s research spans a range of areas, including silicon photonics, biosensing and imaging, semiconductor lasers, nonlinear optics, solar cells, and related fields. He is a Fellow of Optica, the Institute of Physics, and the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and has served as a committee member/chair for major conferences, including PECS, CLEO, IPRN, ECIO, EMRS, OSA Slow and Fast Light, Group 4 Photonics, and SPIE Europe.
Krauss has been engaged in editorial roles with Optica since it launched in 2014. “My enthusiasm for Optica and what it stands for, as a society journal run by its members for the community, has only grown,” Krauss commented. “I consider it a great privilege to be entrusted with this role.” He becomes the Journal’s third editor-in-chief, following Prem Kumar, who served from 2020 – 2025.
Curtis R. Menyuk, Advances in Optics and Photonics
Menyuk is a professor of computer science and electrical engineering and director of the Center for Navigation, Time, and Frequency Research at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, USA. He has worked or consulted at large companies, startup companies, and for the US Department of Defense. A Fellow of Optica, IEEE, SPIE, and the American Physical Society, Menyuk pursues research on the theoretical and computational study of photonic systems, including lasers, microresonators, nonlinear optics, and fiber optics. His extensive service to the optics community for over 35 years includes numerous editorial roles with three Optica journals and other publications, organizing conferences and symposia around the world, and mentoring students and early-career researchers.
Menyuk replaces Guifang Li, who has been editor-in-chief since 2020. When asked about his new role, Menyuk stated, “I have witnessed firsthand the profound impact that in-depth reviews and tutorials can have on established researchers and especially on the careers of young scientists. Supporting the next generation of scientists is deeply meaningful to me. Advances in Optics and Photonics is uniquely positioned to broaden perspectives in our field. I am grateful for the opportunity to guide this important Journal into the future.”
Carsten Rockstuhl, Optics Letters
Rockstuhl is a professor at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany, where he leads groups at the Institute of Theoretical Solid State Physics and the Institute of Nanotechnology. He works on many aspects of theoretical and computational nano-optics such as nanostructured photonic materials, plasmonics, scattering theory, integrated photonics, quantum optics, and nonlinear photonics. Rockstuhl is a fellow of Optica and the Max Planck School of Photonics. He has actively served the community as a deputy editor and topical editor of Optics Letters and has held editorial positions with several other prestigious journals. He is the coordinator of the EUPROMETA, a doctoral school on Metamaterials, and is the organizer or co-organizer of various conferences.
Remarking on his appointment, Rockstuhl stated, “It has already been a great honor to serve Optics Letters in various roles. The Journal has played a central role in shaping the field of optics. I am genuinely excited about building on its strengths and working with the fantastic volunteers and team who contribute to and support Optics Letters.” He follows Miguel A. Alonso, who held the editor-in-chief position from 2020 – 2025.
Commenting on these appointments, Alison Taylor, Chief Publishing Officer at Optica said: “We extend our sincere thanks to our outgoing editors—Drs. Bennett, Kumar, Li, and Alonso—for their strong leadership, judgement, and commitment to editorial excellence. Their work has helped shape the quality and reputation of the journals. At the same time, it is exciting to welcome our four new editors, who also bring deep scientific expertise and extensive experience in scholarly publishing. I am confident that Drs. Andersen, Krauss, Menyuk, and Rockstuhl will provide outstanding stewardship and continue to strengthen Applied Optics, Optica, Advances in Optics and Photonics, and Optics Letters.”
About Optica Publishing Group
Optica Publishing Group is a division of the society, Optica, Advancing Optics and Photonics Worldwide. It publishes the largest collection of peer-reviewed and most-cited content in optics and photonics, including 19 prestigious journals, the society’s flagship member magazine, and papers and videos from over 1200 conferences. With over 505,000 journal articles, conference papers and videos to search, discover and access, its publications portfolio represents the full range of research in the field from around the globe.
About Optica
Optica, 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. Discover more at: Optica.org
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