Amplify Scholarship
Foundation
Each year, ten Black undergrad and master's students receive a US$10,000 scholarship to help ease the financial burden of college. Additionally, other benefits include a one-year membership to Optica, access to mentors, and an invitation to the 2025 Amplify Optics Immersion Program.
2025 Recipients
Deborah Amos Adigun
Université Jean Monnet, Saint-Etienne, France
Elijah Avery
University of San Diego, USA
Sarah Elizabeth Loewecke
Fordham University, USA
Mirabel Mensah
Queen’s University, Canada
Christopher Metellus
University of Central Florida, USA
Fadhimah Mohamed
Washington University in St. Louis, USA
Daniel Mutethia
Kirinyaga University, Kenya
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David Chinedu Okeudo
Vrije Univeriteit Brussels, Belgium
Sidy Ndiongue
University of Toronto, Canada
Jebril Thaxton
University of Michigan, USA
Past Recipients
2024
2023
2022
Contributors
Founders US$100,000+
Contributors US$20,000+
Contributors US$10,000+
Contributors US$1,000+
Fundraising Committee
- Antigone Marino, Chair, Institute of Applied Science & Intelligent Systems (CNR), National Research Council
- Aline Dinkelaker, Co-Chair, Leibniz Institut fur Astrophysik Potsdam
- Arti Agrawal, University of Technology Sydney
- Yaseera Ismail, University of KwaZulu-Natal
- Yoshitomo Okawachi, Columbia University
- Danuta Sampson, University of Surrey
About the Endowment
This program was developed by the Optica Ambassadors in response to the lack of Black representation in optics and photonics.
“Science lives in a society affected by, and in many ways built upon, systemic racism. As Optica Ambassadors, we are committed to fighting for justice, equality, integrity and inclusivity in the scientific community and beyond. We recognize we need to do more by sustainably supporting, amplifying and promoting Black scientists, engineers and students. Black lives matter.”
2016 – 2020 Optica Ambassadors
2024 Selection Committee
| Name | Affiliation | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Sachin Kumar Srivastava | Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee | INDIA |
| Hui Su | Corning Inc. | UNITED STATES |
| Mateusz Szatkowski | Wrocław University of Science and Tech | POLAND |
| Manish Tiwari | Manipal University Jaipur | INDIA |
| Gavrielle Untracht | Danmarks Tekniske Universitet | DENMARK |
| Perla Marlene Viera Gonzalez | Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León | MEXICO |
| MARIA JOSE VILLAMARIN | Universidad San Francisco de Quito | ECUADOR |
| Xiaoyan wang | University of Yamanashi | JAPAN |
| Michael J Williams | Carl Zeiss, Inc. | UNITED STATES |
