About Us
Columbia Optical Society of America (Optica formerly OSA) and the International Society for Optical Engineering (SPIE) student chapter is a student-run organization at Columbia University, located in the heart of NYC. Our organization is involved in enriching the development of students working in optics research. We participate in a number of community outreach events to promote education of the real-world applications of optical engineering and science. Sponsored by the Optica and SPIE organizations, as well as the Columbia Electrical Engineering Department, our student members enjoy a variety of professional networking events through a rich slate of lecturers and field trips. We heartily welcome new collaborations with industry members and professional leaders.
Meet Our E-Board!
Haiqiu Yang is a Ph.D candidate in the Electrical Engineering Department at Columbia University, advised by Professor Christine Hendon. Her current research interest lies in the field of optical imaging systems for clinical use, with focus on the Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) and Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) in the surgery of atrial fibrillation. She is currently working on the system development and 3D visualization algorithm for optical mapping on cardiac substrate with NIRS, aiming to guide and monitor the radiofrequency ablation treatment for cardiology.
Matthew is a PhD student in physics under Professor Dimitri Basov. His work focuses on studying polaritons and other collective light-matter interactions using near-field optical microscopy as well as developing better techniques for studying quantum phenomena in 2D systems. Outside of lab, Matthew enjoys outdoor activities like running, basketball, and exploring New York looking for new spots to eat.
Kevin is an MS/PhD candidate in Electrical Engineering. He studies light-matter interactions at the nanoscale and is particularly interested in moving 2D materials towards optical and/or quantum computing applications. Originally from Honolulu, Hawaii, Kevin enjoys meeting new people, ice cream and traveling.
Michael received his B.E. in Engineering from Dartmouth College in 2022, B.A. in Physics, and B.A. in Mathematics degrees from Amherst College in 2021. At Amherst College, Michael completed his undergraduate physics thesis in an AMO lab led by Prof. Larry Hunter where he studied new excitation schemes for improving optical cycling in TlF. He joined the Lightwave Research Lab at Columbia University in 2022 in pursuit of the M.S./Ph.D program, with interests in silicon photonic systems and optoelectronic devices.
Eric is an Electrical Engineering PhD student in the Lipson Nanophotonics Group. He received his undergraduate and master's degree from Johns Hopkins University, where he studied nanomaterials for solar energy harvesting, and after graduation served as an Electrical Engineer at the US Army DEVCOM C5ISR Center. He is interested in nanophotonics and optoelectronic materials. Outside of the lab, he likes to explore the wilderness, learn about geography, and cook food.
Meet Our Advisors
Keren Bergman is the Charles Batchelor Professor of Electrical Engineering at Columbia University.
Christine Hendon is an assistant professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering. Her research interests are in developing optical imaging and spectroscopy instruments.