The Kidger-Moore Distinguished Professorship in Optics | University of Rochester
The Kidger-Moore Distinguished Professorship in Optics at the University of Rochester was established through a generous gift from Tina E. Kidger and Emery L. Moore, both longtime leaders in the optics community.
Their contribution is part of the Wyant Challenge, an initiative to expand the faculty of the University’s renowned Institute of Optics by 50 percent.
With more than four decades of involvement in optics, Kidger and Moore created the professorship to support excellence in optical research and education.
From left to right: Dean Wendi Heinzelman, Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences; Robert Boyd, William E. Krupke Distinguished Professor; Tina E. Kidger, SPIE Fellow, OPTICA Senior Member; James M. Zavislan, Kidger-Moore Distinguished Professor in Optics; Julie Bentley, Rudolph and Hilda Kingslake Professor in Optical Engineering; Thomas Brown, Dr. James C. Wyant Professor in Optics; Chunlei Gio, Joseph W. and Honmai Goodman Distinguished Professor in Optics; Sarah C. Mangelsdorf, University President and G. Robert Witmer, Jr. University Professor.
Their gift reflects a shared commitment to advancing the field, attracting distinguished faculty, and inspiring the next generation of optical scientists and engineers.
Professorship Installations
James M. Zavislan ’81, ’88 (PhD), a professor at the University of Rochester’s Institute of Optics, has been named the inaugural Kidger-Moore Distinguished Professor in Optics. He also holds faculty appointments in biomedical engineering and ophthalmology.
An accomplished researcher, inventor, and educator, Zavislan has made significant contributions to optical engineering and biomedical imaging. His work focuses on improving the performance and precision of optical imaging systems, with applications in medicine, materials science, and remote sensing. He is an inventor or co-inventor on 62 issued U.S. patents and a fellow of Optica and the National Academy of Inventors.
In recognition of his contributions to research, teaching, and leadership, Zavislan received the University of Rochester’s Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences’ 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award.
Event Photos
Photo above, from left to right: Wendi Heinzelman, James M. Zavislan, Julie Bentley, Robert Boyd, Thomas Brown, Chunlei Gio, Tina E. Kidger, and Sarah C. Mangelsdorf
Photo right, from left to right: Sarah C. Mangelsdorf, Tina E. Kidger, Wendi Heinzelman.
