Meet Dr Guenther

<%@LANGUAGE="JAVASCRIPT" CODEPAGE="1252"%> Meet Dr Guenther

Resume

Publications

Dr Guenther has been most influential in the promotion of optics/photonics not only as an academic discipline but also for its potential to impact the economic development of New Mexico. He was a most distinguished member of a recent National Academy of Science Study on Optical Science and Engineering, which concluded that optics is a most pervasive and enabling technology that crosscuts many fields. It is an activity that will be critical to the future tech-based economic development of the State of New Mexico. His singular commitment and leadership on behalf of New Mexico in this area has led to a number of initiatives and achievements, which are outlined below.
Through the Alliance for Photonic Technology (APT), Dr Guenther was the principal driving force behind the development of the New Mexico Optics Industry Association, a trade organization of optics-related companies in New Mexico. He brought the university community and the industry-based organizations together to quantify and qualify the needs of the optics industry as to the education and skill sets of graduates desired for new employees by companies in this area. Optics and photonics promises to be as important in the future as electronics and computers have been in the past. As a result of bringing the university and industry together a new curriculum for a Master of Science in Optical Science and Engineering was created which has been approved by the university.
He also had additional communications with leaders from the Albuquerque Technical Vocational Institute addressing the need for 2-year post-secondary programs to produce a trained workforce with the appropriate skill set for populating the emerging optics/photonics field. This has led to a new curriculum in the photonics area, to enhance workforce development and support this emerging field. This early initiative on his part has set the stage for New Mexico to become the Center of High Energy Laser development, the cornerstone for Directed Energy for the Department of Defense. In fact Dr Guenther has been instrumental in the development and assessment in this area for a number of years, which is described later.
There is no question of his innovative approach in creating alliances that produce win-win situations for the diverse participants. He is a true visionary and strategic planner. Dr Guenther has a career-long commitment to technology in New Mexico. As an example of his comprehensiveness in marshalling resources and stimulating activity, when Dr Guenther was the Chief Scientist at the Air Force Weapons Laboratory at Kirtland he instituted a Laser Electro Optic Program at TVI in the late 60s and early 70s for additional training of Air Force technical specialists. He in fact was the author and co-editor of 120 modules of instruction in that program which has become a stand-alone course at that Institution. He was as well as the Chairman of a national photonics steering committee for the Department of Labor evaluating the number of new employees needed in this field over the next several years. He also was a participant in the initiation of the Alliance for Photonic Technology involving Los Alamos National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, the Air Force Research Laboratory, New Mexico State University, and the Center for High Technology Material, one of the five centers of technical excellence created in the early 80s under the Rio Grande Research Corridor (his suggested terminology), whose development he oversaw as chair of the Science and Technology commission. Most recently (2000) Dr Guenther has brought a major optical conference here to Albuquerque. He has been identified as an “Ambassador” by the Albuquerque Convention and Visitors Bureau for the economic impact for the many, many conferences (primarily optics related) he has brought to New Mexico.
Working closely with the Albuquerque Economic Development and the Science and Technology Corporation at UNM, optics and photonics was ripe for selection as one of the emerging technologies associated with the Next Generation Economic Initiative, he is co-chair of its optics/photonics cluster. He has marshaled New Mexico’s resources for national exposure at appropriate conferences. He served as the Chair of the National Photonics Steering Committee for the US Department of Education development National Photonics Skill Standards for Technicians. He continues to develop curriculum material through a National Science Foundation Program “Scientific and Technological Education in Photonics (STEP).” He has a long and distinguished association with professional societies in the optics and photonics fields in the United States having been elected a member of their Board of Directors and awardee, e.g., a Fellow of The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers Laser and Electro-Optic Society, Optical Society of America, International Society of Engineers , and the Laser Institute of America. Most importantly he has been elected to the Russian Academy of Science, URAL Division, for his work in enhancing communication between the Soviet Union and the United States in the optics as well as other fields. Of greatest significance is his recent election as President of the International Commission for Optics under the International Council, of Scientific Unions (ICSU) which represents 45 nations and territories worldwide.
As you can see he is well prepared and committed to growing the optics and photonics discipline and having New Mexico reap the benefit of an early investment. Rarely do we see an individual dedicate himself to such a single cause to insure its success personally as well as through partnering with others. He brings great credit to New Mexico in the technical arena.
Dr Guenther has a long and distinguished career of service to New Mexico from optics to defense to education to technology-based economic development serving in the past as the first legislated Science Advisor to several governors. He brings great credit to New Mexico in the technical arena, having been selected as a Distinguished Executive by President Reagan – the highest award for career civil servants. New Mexico is indeed fortunate to claim Dr Guenther as one of their own.