Edmund Optics® Announces 2019 Educational Award and Norman Edmund Award Recipients

Edmund Optics^® (EO), the premier provider of optical and imaging components, announces the recipients of its 2019 Educational Award program. This award is given in recognition of outstanding undergraduate and graduate optics research in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics programs at non-profit colleges and universities worldwide.

The Edmund Optics Educational Award Team evaluated hundreds of applications to select 20 global finalists. $45,000 USD in Edmund Optics products will be awarded to the Gold, Silver, and Bronze winners in the Americas and Europe to support their research. The remaining finalists will all receive a $500 product award. Additionally, the recipient of the Norman Edmund Inspiration Award, which best embodies the legacy of Edmund Optics’ founder, Norman Edmund, is chosen from the 20 global finalists and will recieve an additional $5,000 in Edmund Optics products.

Meet the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Award Recipients

In the Americas, the Gold Award of $10,000 in Edmund Optics products was awarded to Emily Bedell at the University of Colorado Boulder, USA for their design of an in-situ fluorimeter for the real-time detection of microbial risk levels in drinking water sources in low-income areas.

The Silver Award of $7,500 in Edmund Optics products was awarded to Travis Sawyer at the University of Arizona, USA for the development of a novel endoscope for early detection of esophageal cancer.

The Bronze Award of $5,000 in Edmund Optics products was awarded to Guanjun Tan of the University of Central Florida, USA for the resolution of several remaining optical challenges in head-mounted display systems, including virtual reality and optical see-through augmented reality.

In Europe, the Gold Award of €7,000 in Edmund Optics products was awarded to Jan Sperrhake of Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Institute of Applied Physics, Germany for the development of a multipurpose, contactless medical sensor device for observing the vital signs of newborns.

The Silver Award of €5,000 in Edmund Optics products was awarded to Andreas Riedo of the University of Bern, Switzerland for the development of a robust and sensitive detector for the reliable in-situ detection of signatures of life on extra-terrestial bodies within the solar system.

The Bronze Award of €3,000 in Edmund Optics products was awarded to Alejandro Madrid Sánchez of Vrije Universiteit Brussels, Belgium for the development of a novel 3D printing solution for wound dressings that reduces printing time by producing tailored voxels, which can enable large-scale 3D structures to be implemented in biomedical applications.

Meet the Norman Edmund Inspiration Award Recipient

The Norman Edmund Inspiration Award was awarded to Cobey McGinnis at University of North Carolina Charlotte, for developing a single-pixel hyperspectral imaging camera that can identify malignant tissue and can allow for real-time margin assessment by surgeons. The American Cancer Society estimates that more than 1.7 million people will be diagnosed with cancer in 2019 and that over 600,000 people will die from the disease. Surgery remains the primary treatment for solid mass tumors with the objective being to remove malignant tissue while minimizing damage to adjacent healthy tissue. This project demonstrates an impactful, applicable research opportunity in the field of optics that could lead to more positive outcomes for cancer patients who require surgery.

To learn more about the Educational Award recipients and their applications, please visit www.edmundoptics.com/award.

About Edmund Optics:

Edmund Optics^® is a leading global supplier of optics, imaging, and photonics technology that has served a variety of markets including Life Sciences, Biomedical, Industrial Inspection, Semiconductor, R&D, and Defense since 1942. Edmund Optics designs and manufactures a wide array of optical components, multi-element lenses, imaging systems, and optomechanical equipment, while supporting OEM applications with volume production of stock and custom products. With locations in more than seven countries across the globe, Edmund Optics employs over 1,000 employees and continues to expand. Customers can purchase items by calling 1-800-363-1992, via the catalog or the website at www.edmundoptics.com.