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2025 Esther Hoffman Beller Medal Winner

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Optica Names Peter Andersen and Stefan Andersson Engels the 2025 Esther Hoffman Beller Medal Recipients

Optica is pleased to announce that Peter Andersen, Danmarks Tekniske Universitet, Denmark, and Stefan Andersson Engels, Tyndall National Institute, Ireland, have been selected as the 2025 recipients of the Esther Hoffman Beller Medal. They are being honored in recognition of their vision, drive and innovation in organizing the International Graduate Biophotonics Summer School, which has become a cornerstone of biophotonics PhD education.

Peter E. Andersen received his PhD from the Technical University of Denmark (TUD). Andersen is group leader of the Biophotonic Imaging Group, and Head of DTU Health Tech PhD School at DTU Health Tech. He has more than 25 years of research experience within biophotonics, biomedical optics, light sources, multimodal imaging concepts comprising optical coherence tomography, nonlinear microscopy, and translation of these modalities into clinical applications. He leads or has led several large-scale European collaborative research programs.

Stefan Andersson-Engels earned a PhD in Physics from Lund University, Sweden. He is head of Biophotonics@Tyndall at the Irish Photonics Integration Centre and a Professor at the School of Physics, University College Cork, Ireland. Andersson Engels is of the first generation of Biomedical Optics PhD students, currently conducting research on applied translational and fundamental biophotonics. His primary research interests are in the fields of optical spectroscopy for tissue diagnostics and photodynamic therapy, while also active in improving the understanding of fundamental aspects of light propagation in turbid media.

In 2003, Andersen and Andersson Engles, co-founded the International Summer School on Biophotonics at the Island of Ven, Sweden. Since then, 11 schools have been organized, creating more than 600 alumni across the world.

Established in 1993, the Beller Medal is presented for outstanding contributions to education in optical science and engineering. Consideration is given to outstanding teaching and/or original work in optics education that enhances the understanding of optics. The scope of the award is international, and candidates at every career stage are considered. It is endowed by a bequest from the estate of Esther Hoffman Beller.

About Optica

Optica, Advancing Optics and Photonics Worldwide, is the society dedicated to promoting the generation, application, archiving and dissemination of knowledge in the field. Founded in 1916, it is the leading organization for scientists, engineers, business professionals, students and others interested in the science of light. Optica's renowned publications, meetings, online resources and in-person activities fuel discoveries, shape real-life applications and accelerate scientific, technical and educational achievement.

 

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