LIA’s 2015 President Robert Thomas is an essential figure in research and publication throughout the many facets of the laser industry. He initially earned his B.S. degree in physics from Pittsburg State University in 1989, and worked to receive a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Missouri, Columbia, in 1994. His graduate studies focused on the fields of spectroscopy and numerical simulations for strained-layer semiconductor heterostructures. After obtaining his doctorate, Dr. Thomas joined the Air Force Research Laboratory in San Antonio, TX. Since then, he has established an impressive portfolio of publications covering topics including experimental and theoretical biomedical optics, laser-tissue interactions and laser safety exposure limit definitions. In addition to his memberships in SPIE, the American Physical Society (APS), the Directed Energy Professional Society (DEPS) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Dr. Thomas has used his role as Fellow of LIA to contribute to the development of the ANSI Z136 series of standards. For his efforts, he was appointed as the Chairman of the ASC Z136 in 2010. We wish Robert Thomas success in all of his endeavors as this year’s LIA president! Continue reading →
