Joseph Eberly
About Optica
In Memoriam: Joseph Eberly, 1935-2025
30 April 2025
Joseph Eberly, 2007 Optica President and Honorary Member, passed away on 30 April 2025. Eberly was known for his research in the areas of quantum optics and radiation physics. His work led to numerous innovations, including the initial description of the spontaneous collapse and revival effect, the first observation of Bessel beams, predictions of the recently observed non-spreading localized states of electrons in atoms, and the sudden death effect in quantum entanglement. In addition to his research accomplishments, Eberly's contributions to Optica were significant and will have a lasting impact on the society.
Eberly received his BS degree from Pennyslvania State University and his PhD in Physics from Stanford University. He joined the University of Rochester Physics and Astronomy faculty in 1967, where he was a member of the Quantum Optics research group. Eberly was the Andrew Carnegie Professor of Physics, Professor of Optics at the Institute of Optics, and Director of the Rochester Theory Center.
Eberly received numerous accolades for his contributions to the scientific community. He was a Fellow of Optica and the American Physical Society. During his long career, Eberly received the Smoluchowski Medal of the Physical Society of Poland (1987), the Optica Charles Hard Townes Medal (1994), the Georgen Award for Creative Innovation in Undergraduate Teaching of the University of Rochester (2000), and the Frederic Ives Medal/Jarus Quinn Prize (2010). He also received the Stephen D. Fantone Distinguished Service Award (2012), and he was named an Optica Honorary Member (2021) "for pioneering contributions to the foundations of quantum optics theory, his dedicated service to the optics community, and his visionary leadership in promoting international cooperation in optics research."
Eberly was tireless in his dedication to Optica and advancing optics and photonics worldwide. He held volunteer leadership positions throughout the society, and his numerous contributions ensured Optica was well-positioned for the future. Eberly served as the 2007 Optica President, the Optica Presidential Advisory Committee Chair, the founding editor of Optics Express, and co-chair of Optica's Centennial Advisory Committee, which was charged with planning the society's 100th Anniversary in 2016. He also held positions on the Executive Council, Strategic Planning Council, Investment Committee, Publications Council, and Nominating Council. Additionally, Eberly served as a member of the APS Council, the AIP Governing Board, and as a member of the Advisory Boards of KITP (Santa Barbara), ITAMP (Harvard-Smithsonian), and the Physics Division of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Eberly was selected for a JILA Visiting Fellowship (1979), a Senior Alexander von Humboldt Award (1984), and the Distinguished Alumnus Award of the Penn State College of Science.
Throughout his career, Eberly mentored more than 35 PhD graduates, published more than 350 research papers, and three graduate texts: Optical Resonance and Two-Level Atoms with L. Allen; Lasers; and Laser Physics, both with P.W. Milonni. A full obituary in honor of Joseph Eberly has been published in the Democrat & Chronicle.
Optica and the scientific community mourn the loss of Joseph Eberly.
