William T. Rhodes
About Optica
In Memoriam: William T. Rhodes, 1943-2026
22 June 2026
William “Bill” Rhodes, Optica Fellow and former Editor in Chief of Applied Optics, passed away in June 2026. Rhodes was known for his work in optical signal and information processing and for his lasting impact on the optics program at the Georgia Institute of Technology. He was a Professor Emeritus of Electrical and Computer Engineering and helped develop the Institute’s internationally recognized optics program. He served as Director of the Center of Optical Science and Engineering and as Research Director for George Tech Lorraine in Metz, France. His research interests included image formation, partially coherent optical systems, Fourier optics, information processing and telecommunications, and secure communication technology.
Rhodes earned his B.S. in Physics (1966), an M.S. in Electrical Engineering (1968), and a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering (1971) from Stanford University. After graduating, Rhodes accepted a position at Georgia Tech, where he remained for 34 years until his retirement in 2005. During his career, Rhodes also spent time at the University of Colorado in Boulder (1990-1991) and the University of Erlangen-Nürnberg (1976).
Over his career, Rhodes received numerous accolades, including fellowships from Optica, SPIE, and the Georgia Tech Research Institute. He was a Humboldt Research Fellow, received the Dow Outstanding Young Faculty Awards (ASEE), served on the Optica Board of Directors (2 terms), and served as a Governor of SPIE. He also served as Chair of the Optica Technical Group on Information Processing and Holography, Chair of the IEEE Computer Society Technical Committee on Optical Processing, and Editor in Chief of Applied Optics and of the Springer-Verlag monograph series on Optical Sciences.
Rhodes mentored countless graduate students and had a lasting impact on the optics field through his time at the Georgia Institute of Technology, his later tenure at Florida Atlantic University, and his many international appointments and collaborations. He published extensively over the course of his career and was always willing to take time to meet with and discuss ideas with his students. He enjoyed hiking, skiing and spending time with his family and friends.
He will be remembered as a kind and generous mentor to many students and collaborators. Optica and the scientific community mourn the loss of Bill Rhodes.
