Amplify Scholarship
Foundation
Amplify Scholarship
Investing in future Black scientists.
Application Dates
06 October 2025 - 30 November 2025Donate Now
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 2026 Amplify Optics Immersion Program.
2026 Recipients
Tijesuni Adewunmi
Achievers University, Nigeria
Tobi Naomi Ajagbe
Université Jean Monnet, France
James Adah Ameh
Université Jean Monnet, France
Emmanuel Amoako
Northeastern University, USA
Solomon Barbere
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana
Derrick Agyemang Boakye
Friedrich-Schiller University of Jena, Germany
Victoria Mends
New York University, USA
Daniel Mina Palacios
Escuela Politécnica Nacional, Ecuador
Natenaile Asmamaw Shiferaw
Université Jean Monnet, France
Kyra Watts
Brown University, USA
Past Recipients
2025
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
