Scholarships from the Society of Photographic Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) will help two UBC Okanagan (UBCO) Engineering students keep their studies sharply in focus.
Alexis Guidi and Matthias Jenne were recently awarded the prestigious Optics and Photonics Scholarship by SPIE.
This year, the Society is awarding $303,000 in scholarships to 72 outstanding SPIE student members, based on their potential contribution to optics and photonics, or a related discipline.
Guidi is a PhD student in electrical engineering at the University of British Columbia, Canada,
under the guidance of Dr. Jonathan Holzman. Her research focuses on terahertz spectroscopy and imaging technologies for cellular-scale characterization and cancer detection. Outside of academia, Guidi is a frequent volunteer for events that promote optics and engineering.
“SPIE is dedicated to uplifting students, and I am incredibly grateful to be on the receiving end of that,” said Guidi. “This scholarship allows me to put all my efforts towards making my own unique research contributions as well as inspiring others to pursue optics.”
This is not the first time Guidi has been honoured with this prestigious award. She was recognized with a SPIE Scholarship last year while working on her master’s degree.
Jenne is currently completing his master’s degree in the electrical engineering program, also under the supervision of Dr. Holzman. Jenne’s research is focused on creating free-space optical communication transceivers for effective passive communication.
“I am honoured to have received such great aid from SPIE through this scholarship initiative. Receiving this scholarship has inspired me to continue my research intently, and to continue to inspire others to pursue work in field of optics and photonics,” says Jenne.
“SPIE is an international organization that looks to advance optics and photonics technologies—and these scholarships represent their investment in future generations,” explains the students’ supervisor Jonathan Holzman. “With that goal in mind, the Society is making an excellent investment in Alexis and Matthias. Both are doing outstanding work and are poised to make contributions to the field of optics and photonics.”
About SPIE
SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics, brings engineers, scientists, students, and business professionals together to advance light-based science and technology. The Society, founded in 1955, connects and engages with our global constituency through industry-leading conferences and exhibitions; publications of conference proceedings, books, and journals in the SPIE Digital Library; and career-building opportunities. Over the past five years, SPIE has contributed more than $24 million to the international optics community through our advocacy and support, including scholarships, educational resources, travel grants, endowed gifts, and public-policy development. Learn more at www.spie.org.