University of Michigan Applied Physics alumnus, Benjamin Isaacoff (‘18), received the Optical Society of America/SPIE Arthur H. Guenther Congressional Fellowship. The OSA/SPIE gives out only one fellowship per year.

Dr. Isaacoff studied physics as an undergraduate at the University of Michigan. He worked in Michigan Physics Professor Roberto Merlin's group before deciding to study at Stanford for a few semesters. He then returned his studies to the University of Michigan working as a scientist and a Graduate Student Instructor with Chemistry Professor Julie Biteen's research group. His research combines both experiment and theory and is focused on the fundamental science of nanophotonics and its technological applications.

The Guenther fellowship program offers members an invaluable opportunity at public policy learning. Through this, fellows gain a perspective that enhances their industrial, academic, or government careers, and the optics community's ability to more effectively communicate with U.S. Congress. This term, Ben will join with more than two dozen other scientists and engineers for an intensive orientation program on the legislative and executive branches. Then, he will choose a congressional office in which he wishes to serve, where he will handle a variety of assignments that are both technical and non-technical. 

Learn more about Dr. Isaacoff’s scientific pursuits by reading the OSA’s news posting.