Frank K. Tittel
About Optica
In Memoriam: Frank K. Tittel, 1933-2026
17 February 2026
Frank Klaus Tittel, Optica Fellow, passed away on 17 February 2026, at age 92. Tittel was a laser pioneer and a distinguished professor at Rice University, serving as the J.S. Abercrombie Professor Emeritus of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the time of his retirement. He was known for his contributions to laser spectroscopy, and he played a pivotal role in building Rice University’s thriving photonics research program. Tittel was a founder of the Rice Quantum Institute (now the Smalley-Curl Institute), strengthening Rice’s international reputation in photonics.
Tittel was born in Oranienburg, Germany, and faced significant loss early in life, with his father dying while skiing and his Jewish mother suffering persecution by the Nazi regime. After his mother’s death, Tittel became an orphan and was placed with foster families in Germany. He was eventually reunited with his extended family in the UK at age 15. Tittel earned his BA, MA, and PhD in physics from Oxford University. In 1960, he moved to the US and worked at General Electric as a research scientist before accepting a position at the American University in Cairo, Egypt. Tittel returned to the US and joined Rice University’s faculty in 1967. His career at Rice spanned over 50 years. Through his research, Tittel became a leader in his field, developing one of the first tunable lasers, which allowed scientists to adjust wavelengths to specific frequencies—an important breakthrough for laser spectroscopy.
Tittel was elected a Fellow of Optica (formerly OSA) in 1987 for contributions to the excimer laser and laser spectroscopy. He was also a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the American Physical Society (APS), and SPIE. Tittel was awarded the IEEE Medal for Environmental and Safety Technologies in 2018 for his pioneering contributions to optical chemical sensors.
Tittel was dedicated to serving the scientific community and held numerous volunteer positions for Optica including as a member of the Optics and Photonics News Editorial Advisory Committee (1991-1992); the Frontiers in Optics Program Committee (1993-1994/ 1996-1997); the Charles Hard Townes Medal Committee (1994-1996); the Book Publishing Committee (1993-1995); and on several program committees for CLEO (2002-2015). Tittel frequently attended conferences and shared the experience with his students.
Tittel will be dearly missed by his colleagues, former students, and family. His passion for research inspired many, and his generosity and mentorship helped shape the future of the photonics program at Rice University. He will be remembered as a gentleman and a brilliant scholar.
Optica and the scientific community mourn the loss of Frank Tittel.
Photo Credit: CreativeCommons
