Honoring the Legacy of Emery L. Moore | University of Rochester
The University of Rochester’s Institute of Optics recently welcomed Tina E. Kidger for a special visit to a memorial exhibit honoring her late husband, Emery L. Moore, an accomplished physicist, engineer, and respected leader in the optics community. Professor Thomas Brown showed Tina the display, which features awards, memorabilia, and other reminders of Emery’s distinguished career and contributions to the field. It was a proud and meaningful moment for Tina and a fitting tribute to Emery’s lasting legacy.
Tina E. Kidger and Professor Thomas Brown at the memorial exhibit honoring Emery L. Moore at the University of Rochester’s Institute of Optics.
Emery, who passed away on September 13, 2025, at 86, devoted more than four decades to advancing optical technologies and engineering. His expertise spanned inertial navigation, fiber-optic sensors, acoustic arrays, and avionics. A highly respected figure in the international optics community, he served as president of SPIE in 1990, helping strengthen professional relationships and foster collaboration among scientists and engineers around the world.
Emery’s commitment to education and the future of optics was equally significant. Together with Tina, he established the Kidger-Moore Distinguished Professorship in Optics at the University of Rochester, creating an enduring legacy of support for research, teaching, and innovation at the Institute of Optics. Their generosity will help advance the field and inspire future generations of optical scientists and engineers.
The memorial exhibit is a lasting recognition of Emery’s professional accomplishments, generosity, and lifelong dedication to optics. For Tina, seeing the collection of honors and memorabilia displayed at the University was a particularly special experience and a reminder of the impact Emery made throughout his career.
Emery’s legacy lives on through his contributions to science and engineering, his influence on the optics community, and the educational opportunities he and Tina established for future generations.
