Nearly 100 Years Leading Innovation in Optics
Undergraduate Students
The Institute offers two majors—a BS in optics and a BS in optical engineering, and also a minor in optics.
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Optics graduate students gain the clarity to find opportunities in problems and then create positive change.
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The Institute offers educational training and networking opportunities to industry experts.
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In the News
Gift establishes new distinguished professorship at the Institute of Optics
Bill Krupke, a physicist, laser scientist, technology entrepreneur, and a former program director at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, has established the William F. Krupke Distinguished Professorship in Optics at the University. Krupke’s generous $800,000 gift will be matched with $1.2 million from the Wyant Challenge, established in 2022 by the late trustee emeritus James Wyant ’69 (PhD) and his wife, Tammy, to create 10 endowed professorships at the Institute of Optics.
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Transformational Research
Our researchers are at the forefront across the spectrum of optics and optical engineering disciplines. Possibilities for interdisciplinary research are boundless thanks to our strong ties with University partners.
Discover our Research Capabilities
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
We are dedicated to cultivating an equitable, respectful, and welcoming culture for all. We strive to ensure every individual is respected and valued for the contributions they bring to our academic mission.
Learn More About Our Values
Developing the Next Generation of Lasers
Through a National Science Foundation grant, we are working to connect the greater Rochester area’s academic, industry, and business partners to grow the region’s laser workforce.
Learn About the STELLAR ProjectSee More than Meets the Eye
What is Optics?
Optics is the study of light, how it is generated, propagated, and detected, and how it interacts with matter. The multidisciplinary field is rooted in physics, electrical engineering, chemistry, and materials science.
Institute of Optics By the Numbers
Numbers show that the University of Rochester has long been the premiere place to study optics, whether you want to pursue a career in academia, government labs, or industry.
1929
Founded in 1929, the Institute of Optics was the first optics education program in the nation.
50%
More than half the optics degrees in the US have been awarded by the Institute of Optics.
$91,600
Recent undergraduate grads report earning an average salary of $91,600 at their first destination after graduation.