The Duke Optical Student Chapter (DOSC) is a Duke Student organization interested in research in optics and photonics. They are officially affiliated as a student chapter with SPIE and OPTICA (formerly OSA), two professional societies dedicated to optics and photonics. Their affiliation with these societies along with the Fitzpatrick Institute for Photonics at Duke provides them with funding and resources that allows them to engage in many activities related to the exploration and promotion of optical sciences. Here are some of the things that they do:
- Professional networking events on campus and at conferences
- Outreach programs to local schools
- Support optics-related extracurricular projects
- Interact with visiting professors in small groups
- Assist with FIP breakfast poster sessions
- To see more about these opportunities, go to DOSC Seminar presentation (2023).
DOSC Advisor:
Adam Wax is professor of Biomedical Engineering and Physica at Duke University. He is a fellow of the Optical Society of America, SPIE, and AIMBE and serves as the Editor-in-chief of the SPIE journal, Optical Engineering.
2025-26 DOSC Officers:
President: Sarah Mekha
Sarah is a third year BME PhD student in Dr. Ramanujam’s lab for Global Women’s Health Technologies. She is working on an optical molecular imaging platform for the metabolism of tumor and immune cells. She is also the goalkeeper for the Duke Women’s Club Soccer team.
Vice President: Trey Highland
Trey Highland is a third year Ph.D. student in Prof. Adam Wax’s BIOS lab. His research focuses on the use of quantitative phase imaging to advance understanding of cell mechanics. He graduated from Duke with an M.S. in BME (2022) and the University of Alabama - Birmingham with a B.S. of BME (2021). Outside the lab Trey enjoys music, film, and his two cats - Pocket and Maymay. https://scholars.duke.edu/person/robert.highland
Treasurer: Yuruo Zheng
Yuruo is a third-year Ph.D. student in Dr. Natalia Litchinitser’s lab. Her current research focuses on design and fabrication of optical metasurfaces, with the goal of broadening the application of optical metasurfaces across various fields.
Secretary: Josh Lerner
Josh is a second-year Ph.D. student in Dr. Roarke Horstmeyer's Computational Optics Lab. His current research explores the combination of computational imaging methods with multi-camera array microscopes for improved high-thoughput live-cell imaging.
2024-25 DOSC Officers:
President: Deniz Acil
Deniz is a 3rd year PhD candidate in Prof. Maiken Mikkelsen’s lab, working on developing next generation nanophotonics devices for quantum optics and fluorescent immunoassays. He also serves as the treasurer for ECE Advocacy for Student Engagement (EASE), an executive committee member for Pratt PhD Plus program, and ECE representative for Engineering Graduate Student Council. https://scholars.duke.edu/person/deniz.acil
Vice President: Morgan McCloud
Morgan is a second-year Ph.D. student studying in the Biophotonics Lab. Her research focuses on implementing ocular imaging modalities on autonomous robotic arms. She hopes her work will expand the ability to image people that are not able to be imaged using traditional techniques. She is a Sloan Scholar and also serves as the Vice President of the Duke Gaming club.
Treasurer: Yuruo Zheng
Yuruo is a second-year Ph.D. student in Dr. Natalia Litchinitser’s lab. Her current research focuses on design and fabrication of optical metasurfaces, with the goal of broadening the application of optical metasurfaces across various fields.
Secretary: Trey Highland
Trey Highland is a 2nd year Ph.D. student in Prof. Adam Wax’s BIOS lab. His research focuses on the use of quantitative phase imaging to advance understanding of cell mechanics. He graduated from Duke with an M.S. in BME (2022) and the University of Alabama - Birmingham with a B.S. of BME (2021). Outside the lab Trey enjoys music, film, and his two cats - Pocket and Maymay. https://scholars.duke.edu/person/robert.highland
Outreach Coordinator: Marcia Cunha dos Santos
Marcia is a second-year Ph.D. student in Dr. Ramanujam’s lab for Global Women’s Health Technologies. Her research focuses on understanding and screening the breast cancer microenvironment. She also serves as vice-president of Social Impact at the Brazil Conference at Harvard & MIT.
Events Coordinator: Sarah Mekha
Sarah is a second-year BME PhD student in Dr. Ramanujam’s lab for Global Women’s Health Technologies. She is working on a low-cost optical molecular imaging platform for the metabolism of tumor and immune cells. She is also the goalkeeper for the Duke Women’s Club Soccer team.
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