Optical Technology Center Faculty & Staff

Ph.D. Physics, Harvard University
B.S. Physics, Stanford University
RF Photonics, coherent lidar & imaging, spectral hole burning, and spatial-spectral digital holography. 
210 Barnard Hall, 406-994-6156
rbabbit@montana.edu

Ph.D. Physics, University of Utah
M.S. Physics, University of Utah
B.S. Math & CS, Colorado School of Mines
Nano-optics and quantum materials
218 Barnard Hall, 406-994-6164
nicholas.borys@montana.edu

Fellow, APS
Ph.D. Physics, Yale University
M. Phil. Physics, Yale University
B.S. Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology
Optical memories, signal processing, and laser crystal studies. Studies of optical, dynamical, and magnetic properties of solids using advanced nonlinear optical spectroscopic methods, many new materials, and over twenty lasers.
207 Barnard Hall, 406-994-6175
cone@montana.edu

M.S. Electrical Engineering - University of Texas at Austin
B.S. Electrical Engineering - University of Texas at El Paso
Device optimization and process integration, area-scaled SRAM bitcell designs, yield enhancement, DFM techniques, and test vehicle design for next generation process development
Arthur J.M. Johnson Hall, 406-994-5147
mark.craig@montana.edu

Fellow, SPIE 
Ph.D. Electrical Engineering, Stanford University
M.S. Electrical Engineering, University of Washington
B.S. Electrical Engineering, University of Colorado
MOEMS, Active and adaptive optics, tissue spectroscopy, lidar scanners.
530 Cobleigh Hall, 406-994-7874
davidd@montana.edu

Ph.D. Chemistry, University of California at Berkeley
B.A. Chemistry, Carleton College
Applications of spectroscopy and hyperspectral imaging to proteomics
251 Chemistry & Biochemistry Building, 406-994-4041
dratz@montana.edu

Laser spectroscopy and nonlinear optics to study photophysical and photochemical processes in organic and biological molecules, molecular aggregates, dendrimers, polymers, and protein; multiphoton absorption of organic systems and applications to high-capacity 3D memory, two-photon microscopy, photodynamic therapy of cancer, and two-photon hyperspectral sensitive detection of cancer cells. 
206 Barnard Hall, 406-994-7810
drobijev@physics.montana.edu

Ph.D. Physics, Harvard University
B.S. Physics, Cal Tech 
New precision measurements that address fundamental physics questions using levitated optomechanics with microparticles and nanoparticles levitated in magnetic, optical, and Paul traps under vacuum to make sensitive measurements with controlled coupling to the environment. 
243 Barnard Hall, 406-994-3456
durso@montana.edu

Ph.D. Chemistry, University of Colorado - Boulder
B.S. Chemistry, University of Minnesota at Twin Cities 
Nonlinear microscopy and ultrafast laser spectroscopy to interrogate and understand the optical, electronic, and chemical properties of materials important for advanced solar energy, catalytic, and electronic technologies.
Chemistry & Biochemistry Building 047, 406-994-2988
erik.grumstrup@montana.edu

Ph.D. Electrical Engineering, Georgia Tech
M.S. Physics, Oregon State University
B.S. Physics, Montana State University
Microfabrication technologies, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), micro-sensors and micro-actuators
610 Cobleigh Hall, 406-994-7276
tjkaiser@montana.edu

Ph.D. Physics, Stanford University 
B.S. Physics, University of Puget Sound
Solar magnetic activity, coronal loops X-ray bright points, image analysis, UV and EUV optics and space instrumentation, IRIS UV satellite spectral imager, numerical modeling. 
260C Barnard Hall, 406-994-7853
kankel@montana.edu

Ph.D. Microsystems & Microelectronics, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne
M.S. Electrical Engineering, Technical University – Dresden
Micro- and nano-technology, microfluidics.
509 Cobleigh Hall, 406-994-7172
anja.kunze@montana.edu 

Ph.D. Electrical Engineering (Applied Physics), Univ. of California, San Diego
B.S. Applied Physics, Stanford University
Optical nanostructures, photonics, nanoscale optics, computational electromagnetics
529 Cobleigh, 406-994-5956
nakagawa@montana.edu

Ph.D. EE, Montana State University 
M.S. EE, Montana State University
B.S. EE, Montana State University
102-A Linfield Hall
406-994-2515
paul.nugent@montana.edu

Ph.D. Physics, Montana State University
M.S. Physics, Montana State University
B.Eng. Mechanical Engineering, Youngstown State University
Laser research and development, laser remote sensing. 
537 Cobleigh Hall, 406-994-6082
repasky@montana.edu

Ph.D. & M.S. Coherent Optical Communication Systems, Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Télécommunications.
M.S. Electronics & Radio Engineering, University of Athens (Greece). 
B.S. Electronics & Radio Engineering, University of Athens (Greece)
Optical communications; photonics; computational electromagnetics
619 Cobleigh Hall, 406-994-5960
ioannis.roudas@montana.edu

Ph.D. Physics, University of California - Berkeley 
Earth's magnetosphere and energetic particles therein.
Energetic phenomena (electrons, gamma rays) associated with lightning
222 Barnard Hall, 406-994-1693
john.sample2@montana.edu

Fellow, OSA & SPIE
Ph.D. & M.S. Optical Sciences, University of Arizona
M.S. Electrical Engineering, University of Utah
B.S. Electrical Engineering, University of Alaska - Fairbanks
Remote sensing systems, optical system design and testing, radiometry, polarimetry, lidar, science and photography of optical phenomena in nature
334-A Norm Asbjornson Hall, 406-994-7261
joseph.shaw@montana.edu

Fellow, IEEE
Ph.D. & M.S. Computer Science, The Johns Hopkins University 
B.S. Computer Science, Southern Methodist University 
365 Barnard Hall, 406-994-4835
john.sheppard@montana.edu

Postdoc, Johns Hopkins University
Ph.D. Electrical Engineering, Vanderbilt University 
M.S. Electrical Engineering, Michigan State University 
B.S. Engineering, Walla Walla College 
Custom computing using Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), digital signal processing (DSP), embedded real-time systems, data acquisition and processing systems for smart imaging systems, auditory neuroscience.
538 Cobleigh Hall, 406-994-1645
ross.snider@montana.edu

Ph.D. Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh
B.A. Chemistry, Washington and Jefferson College
Spectroscopic studies for energy and carbon sequestration research, Director of the Energy Research Institute.
CFT #5 332, 406-994-4399
spangler@montana.edu

Ph.D. Physics, Montana State University
B.S. Physics and Statistics, Montana State University 
Optical properties of materials to enable next-generation photonic and quantum technologies, spectral hole burning. 
209 Barnard Hall, 406-994-4363
charles.thiel@montana.edu 

Ph.D. Physical Chemistry, University of Chicago
B.S. Chemistry, Penn State University
Optical specctroscopy in hard-to-see places: optical studies of chemical structure, organization and reactivity at surfaces.
57 Chemistry & Biochemistry Building, 406-994-7928
rawalker@montana.edu 

Ph.D. NanoScience, Sungkyunkwan University, Korea
2D Magnetic and Topological Materials
Quantum phenomena emerging at high temperature
202Barnard Hall 
406-994-6182
dinhloc.duong@montana.edu

Ph.D. Applied Science & Engineering, University of California-Davis
B.A. Physics, Northwestern University
Application of laser and nonlinear optical technology for remote sensing and quantum communication applications, spanning the GHz (RF) through the THz (optical) frequency range.
2310 University Way, Bldg. 2, Suite 3, Rm. 163 
406-994-5925
christopher.ebbers@montana.edu

Ph.D. Biochemistry, Montana State University
B.S. Chemistry, Montana State University
515 Cobleigh Hall, 406-994-7178
joshua.heinemann@montana.edu

Ph.D. & M.S. Electrical Engineering, University of Michigan
B.S. Electrical Engineering, Iowa State University 
(406) 994-7915
 andrew.oliver1@montana.edu
 Cobleigh Hall 517 

Ph.D. Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Chicago
B.A. Physics, Carleton College
120 Barnard Hall, 406-994-7828
paul.nachman@montana.edu

Ph.D. Physics, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore India
M.Sc. Physics, SSS Institute of Higher Learning, Prashanti Nilayam, India
Applications of S2 technology to high-bandwidth RF spectrum analysis, coherent imaging and lidar. 
2310 University Way, Bldg. 2, Suite 3, Rm. 164, 406-994-5756
krishna.rupavatharam@montana.edu

Ph.D. Physics, Montana State University
B.S. Physics & Mathematics, Radford University 
Rare-earth activated optical material development and characterization for optical memory, signal processing, and quantum information applications. 
Barnard Hall 209, 406-994-4363
thomas.rust1@montana.edu

Michelle Leonti handles the administrative aspects of the Optical Technology Center and its research projects. Ms. Leonti manages grant proposal submissions, reporting, travel, events planning, and student recruitment. She monitors finances and research progress against goals.

334-B Norm Asbjornson Hall, 406-994-6279
michelle.leonti@montana.edu