Page 10 - Buzz Magazine - Issue 4 Fall 2022 | University of Rochester

These experiences introduced close to realizing that dream. A AV: My family. My husband and
TAKING A LOOK AT OPTICS ABOUT YOU? and I knew from a young age that Today, he’s the president of
lot of my peers were inspired by
me to faculty, peers, business
three kids inspire me every day.
that movie, too.
professionals, and friends with
So does my brother, Joe Spilman,
whom I still interact regularly.
who took my lead and graduated
BM: My father was in business,
from the institute in 2003.
WHAT WOULD SURPRISE
I wanted to be an entrepreneur. I
PEOPLE TO KNOW
still do. At 77 years old, I continue
Optimax, a local optics company.
to work, and I don’t plan to retire.
CG: A lot of people tell me I don’t
Professionally, I’m proud of the
“look North African.” I want to
break down stereotypes like this,
rewarding to see them thrive.
AV: A kindergarten teacher.
especially as a woman in science I love what I do. students at MCC. It’s incredibly
Teaching has always interested
Many of them have changed their
from a developing country. It also me, which is why I’m doing what lives through this program.
surprises people to know I speak I do today.
four languages. In Tunisia, we all WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?
learn Arabic, French, and English. PROUDEST CG: I love challenges and being
I also taught myself Turkish by ACHIEVEMENT? in a fast-paced environment, and
CG: Graduating from the Institute
watching television. I want to be an entrepreneur
of Optics. I made it through
BM: Many people are surprised the pandemic with a degree in someday. Today, I get to walk in
by my activity in optics because optical engineering from one of the footsteps of the institute’s
I have only one eye. I lost my left the best—if not the best—schools legends, which is incredibly
eye in an accident when I was in the world for it. inspiring.
three years old. More often than BM: Many people assume my BM: I get excited about solving
not, people assume I had an proudest achievement is earning problems. I often tell people
accident with an optical laser, but an Academy Certificate from that you go to school to learn
that is not the case. the Academy of Motion Picture how to learn. Once you’ve
AV: I’ve played the violin since Arts and Sciences in 1999. I learned that, there is no science
I was 5 years old. I was part of received that for developing the and no challenge beyond your
a number of musical groups optical technology that made capabilities.
in college and, up until the special effects possible in such
pandemic, still played in one of movies as Return of the Jedi and AV: Knowing that the program
those ensembles. Another thing Indiana Jones. Although that at MCC can change lives, benefit
that surprises people: I have Pi was a great honor, I have made our community, and affect the
memorized up to 82 digits. the maximum contribution at the industry overall. It’s inspiring to
intersection between optics and get calls from local businesses
WHAT DID YOU WANT TO life sciences. For instance, my
BE WHEN YOU GREW UP? and from Google, Microsoft, and
companies developed the first Amazon alike—they all want
CG: When I was in middle laser film image recorder for and need our graduates. The
school, I saw the movie Iron medical imaging, protein and Rochester area has been, and
Man. I wanted to have a helmet DNA analysis instrumentation,
and a lab just like Tony Stark’s, cell and gene therapy products, continues to be, such a great
the lead character. As an optics and blood-testing technology for place for optics.
professional, I’ve gotten pretty AIDS and cancer patients.

Did you know?

Optics is at the core of many products, services, LEARN ABOUT THE
WYANT OPTICS CHALLENGE
and technologies, including: uofr.us/optics-challenge
Smartphones LED light bulbs
Cameras and Traffic lights FIND OUT MORE ABOUT
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
telescopes Barcode scanners rochester.edu/aincenter
Remote controls and Surgical devices
televisions
Medical diagnostics EXPLORE THE
Streaming services and treatments INSTITUTE OF OPTICS

Self-driving cars hajim.rochester.edu/optics
10 | UNIVERSITY OF ROCHES TER BUZZ MA G AZINE