SPIE Fellows are members of distinction who have made significant scientific and technical contributions in the multidisciplinary fields of optics, photonics, and imaging. They are honored for their technical achievement, for their service to the general optics community, and to SPIE in particular. More than 900 SPIE members have become Fellows since the Society's inception in 1955.

A member of the faculty since 2000, Dr. Adibi is being recognized "for achievements in integrated nanophotonics and volume holography." He holds the rank of professor and leads the Photonics Research Group within the School. Dr. Adibi also heads up a research center funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) at $4.3 million as one of DARPA's Centers in Integrated Photonics Engineering Research. The goal of the Center is to develop a new sensor that can detect multiple biological and chemical threats on a compact integrated platform faster, less expensively, and more sensitively that current state-of-the-art sensors.

Dr. Gaylord, who holds the titles of Regents' Professor and Julius Brown Chair Professor, is being recognized "for achievements in diffractive and polarization optics." He is also involved in the microsystems and electromagnetics areas, in addition to optics and photonics, and he leads the Optics Laboratory. A member of the faculty since 1972, Dr. Gaylord, with his colleagues and students, formulated rigorous coupled-wave analysis (RCWA), an exact and powerful electromagnetic approach for analyzing wave propagation in periodic structures which has become the standard method used worldwide for diffractive optical elements. Designs based on RCWA formalism have been used to create diffractive elements, photonic crystals, and even head-up displays.

SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics, was founded 56 years ago to advance light-based technologies. Serving more than 180,000 constituents from 168 countries, the Society advances emerging technologies through interdisciplinary information exchange, continuing education, publications, patent precedent, and career and professional growth. SPIE annually organizes and sponsors approximately 25 major technical forums, exhibitions, and education programs in North America, Europe, Asia, and the South Pacific, and supports scholarships, grants, and other education programs around the world.