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Senior Member Spotlight:
Meet Dr. Viktoriia Babicheva, this month’s featured Senior Optica Member Spotlight.
Dr. Babicheva joined UNM after her postdoctoral experience in the College of Optical Sciences at the University of Arizona, Tucson. Prior to that, Dr. Babicheva worked in the Birck Nanotechnology Center at Purdue University and Center for Nano-Optics at Georgia State University. Dr. Babicheva’s research focus is nanophotonics, nano-optics, and photonic materials, and the work specialization is on localized and delocalized nanoparticle resonances in periodic arrays, hyperbolic metamaterials, and near-field imaging of layered materials. Dr. Babicheva is the author or co-author of more than 50 peer-reviewed journal articles, 30 conference publications, and one book chapter. Her publications have more than 1100 citations in total according to Google Scholar. Dr. Babicheva is a Principal Editor for MRS Advances since 2015.
Q: What has been the most rewarding phase of your career so far, and why?
A: The most rewarding phase of my career has been establishing my independent research group and seeing it grow into a productive and creative team. Building a lab from the ground up allowed me to shape its scientific direction, mentor talented students, and integrate research with teaching. Watching my students develop into confident researchers and contribute to high-impact publications has been deeply fulfilling. This phase has combined scientific achievement with the personal satisfaction of creating a collaborative and inspiring research environment.
Q: Which of your professional accomplishments are you most proud of?
A: I am most proud of building an independent and well-recognized research program in nanophotonics and metasurfaces that bridges theory, simulation, and experiment. My work has produced over 80 peer-reviewed publications, several funded projects on fundamental and applied research, and new nanoHUB simulation tools used in education worldwide. I take particular pride in mentoring students who have published papers, presented at conferences, and gained experience working at national laboratories. Together, these achievements reflect both scientific impact and lasting contributions to the next generation of researchers.
Q: Can you describe a project or discovery that made a lasting impact on your organization or the broader optics community?
A: One of my most impactful projects is the development of multipole-engineered metasurfaces, which introduced a systematic framework for tailoring optical responses through controlled interference of electric and magnetic modes. This work advanced the understanding of bound states in the continuum and guided experimental realizations of resonances with high quality factor for sensing and nonlinear optics. It has influenced multiple research groups and has been integrated into educational tools and courses on nanophotonics. The project continues to shape how metasurface design is approached across the optics community.
Q: How have you contributed to mentoring or supporting the next generation of optical scientists and engineers?
A: I have mentored numerous undergraduate and graduate students through research projects, nanoHUB tool development, and collaborations with national laboratories. Many of them have co-authored journal papers, presented at major conferences, and contributed to open-access educational tools. I also integrate research-based learning into my Computational Methods for Electromagnetics course, where students gain hands-on experience with modern simulation methods. My goal is to help the next generation of optical scientists and engineers develop both strong technical foundations and independent research skills.
Q: In what ways has being an Optica member supported your research, growth, or visibility in the field?
A: Being an Optica member has been transformative for my professional growth and visibility. Active engagement in Optica conferences, journals, and technical groups has connected me with leading researchers and opened doors to new collaborations. Presenting my work on metasurfaces and computational electromagnetics to this vibrant community has amplified its reach and impact. Beyond visibility, Optica has provided a true sense of belonging to a dynamic, forward-looking network that continually inspires my research directions.
Have someone in mind for a future feature? Submit your nomination for an upcoming Senior Member Spotlight. Send an email to smcalester@optica.org with Senior Member Spotlight Nominee in the subject line.
Senior Member Programs
Annual Receptions
Each year, we gather to honor our Senior Members at the Frontiers in Optics + Laser Science APS/DLS Conference (FiO+LS). Join us at to celebrate our member's accomplishments and network with others across your field.
Frontiers in Optics + Laser Science APS/DLS Conference (FiO+LS)
View On-Demand Professional Development Programs
Mastering Impromtpu Speaking
Some of our most critical speaking situations happen when we are unprepared. The way in which we speak off the cuff is partly how our leadership skills will be measured. Impromptu speaking is a skill which we can build with practice and feedback. In this interactive training, you will learn a strategic framework for speaking clearly and concisely with no advanced preparation. You will receive instructor feedback by volunteering to answer questions using the strategic framework you just learned. You will retain the strategies by role-playing difficult and impromptu questions among peers in a breakout group. You will leave the session with more confidence and more tools to speak up in your most important professional settings.
Five Tips for Writing Winning Grant Proposals
To have a successful career in science, you must be able to convince strangers to give you enormous sums of money. However, competition for those dollars is fierce and unfortunately, many scientists miss the mark writing research proposals. Dr. Damon Diehl is determined to change that and make reviewers’ jobs more difficult by arming scientists and engineers with the tools they need to craft compelling grant proposals. This webinar teaches how to identify organizations that WANT to give you money out of the thousands of grants that are available so that you can prioritize and focus your efforts on those with the highest return. This program is intended for Optica Senior Members Only.
