James M. Zavislan

James M. Zavislan

  • Professor of Optics
  • Professor of Biomedical Engineering
  • Associate Professor of Ophthalmology
  • Associate Professor, Center for Visual Science
  • Mercer Brugler Distinguished Teaching Professor 2018-2021

PhD, University of Rochester, 1988

Office Location
414 Goergen Hall
Telephone
(585) 275-9819

Short Biography

Professor Zavislan received his BS degree with high honors in Optics in 1981 and his PhD degree in Optics in 1988 from the University of Rochester. From 1987 to 1992, he was a research staff member at IBM Almaden Research Center. In 1992 he co-founded Lucid, Inc. where he led the company's research and product development efforts. In 2002, he joined the faculty of the Institute of Optics, University of Rochester as an associate professor. He currently serves as Associate Dean for Education, Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. He is an inventor or co-inventor on 62 issued US patents, an author or co-author on 49 papers, and a co-editor of a book and a book chapter. He is a fellow of Optica and the National Academy of Inventors.

Teaching Interests

Professor Zavislan's teaching interests are in the area of optical system analysis and optical engineering. He has taught undergraduate and graduate geometrical optics, undergraduate physical optics, undergraduate radiometry, undergraduate optical engineering senior design, undergraduate and graduate courses in product development, undergraduate and graduate optics laboratory courses.  He led the development of Hajim School’s hands-on four course series (EAS 141-144). He is currently the faculty director of the optics teaching labs.

Research Overview

Research areas include improving the performance of optical imaging systems by modeling and measuring the coherence properties of light returned from objects of interest and adjacent objects not of interest. Applications for this research include biomedical imaging, material science, and remote sensing; optical design, optical fabrication, optical design using anisotropic optical materials, tolerancing of optical systems, and optical design for manufacturing.

Research Interests

  • Optical Engineering
  • Biomedical Optical Systems