Marlan Scully named winner of OSA, DPG Herbert Walther Award

Washington, DC--The Optical Society (OSA) and the Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft (DPG) are proud to announce that the joint 2011 Herbert Walther Award will be presented to Marlan Scully of Texas A&M and Princeton Universities for his "fundamental and applied contributions: from the quantum theory of optical and micro-masers to the quantum eraser, and from inversionless and correlated emission lasers to anthrax detection."

"Marlan Scully is one of the world’s most distinguished scientists in the field of quantum optics," said Luiz Davidovich, chair of OSA’s Herbert Walther Award Selection Committee. "We are delighted to present the 2011 Walther Award to a true pioneer of this field, whose work has constantly stimulated new research directions, while also inspiring young scientists to follow in his footsteps. The award is particularly fitting for Marlan, who worked very closely with Herbert Walther, co-publishing 50 papers together and engaging in several years of fruitful scientific collaboration."

A fellow of OSA, APS, AAAS, the Max Planck Society and the National Academy of Sciences, Scully’s career features a vast set of contributions to the field of quantum optics and physics over the last 40 or more years. He is known for developing the quantum theory of the laser, inventing the concepts of correlated emission, developing micro-maser theory, discovering the concept of the quantum eraser, contributing to the formulation of the theory of laser gyroscopes and free electron lasers, co-leading the first experiment demonstrating lasing without inversion, carrying out the first demonstration of room temperature slow light, and developing a comprehensive theory of the dynamics of Bose-condensation, among many other contributions. He is also known for his work to promote science around the world, including founding a series of successful annual conferences on the Physics of Quantum Electronics that have run for more than 40 years.

The award recognizes distinguished contributions in quantum optics and atomic physics as well as leadership in the international scientific community. The OSA Foundation has endowed this award with the support of corporate contributors, including Toptica Photonics AG and Messe München International -- LASER World of PHOTONICS, and individual contributors.

OSA and DPG plan to present the Walther Award in May 2011 during CLEO/Europe - EQEC 2011 in Munich, Germany.

SOURCE: OSA; www.osa.org/About_Osa/Newsroom/News_Releases/Releases/12.2010/WaltherAward.aspx

Posted by:Gail Overton

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