Contact: Dr. A. H. Guenther, 277-7003 Media Contact: Michael Padilla 277-1816

October 21, 2002 UNM PROFESSOR SPEAKS AT THE WHITE HOUSE Professor Arthur H. Guenther, from the University of New Mexico Center for High Technology Materials, was one of four speakers at a recent White House Conference on Optics and Photonics convened by the President's Science Advisor, Dr. Jack Marburger. Guenther spoke on education and workforce issues relative to the growth of this expanding technology field. Optics and photonics' power is primarily in enabling other fields such as Microsystems, electronics, biomedicine and defense - all areas of increasing importance to New Mexico. Guenther also received the Optical Society of America's (OSA) David Richardson Medal. The award was for Guenther's pioneering contributions and continued leadership in the study of laser-induced damage of optical materials and for exemplary guidance in enabling the infrastructure for technical optics development. In establishing this prize, OSA sought to recognize the unique contributions to applied optics and spectroscopy made by David Richardson. Endowed by Howard Gray, the award recognizes those who have made significant contributions primarily to technical optics, but not necessarily manifested by an extensive publication record or traditional academic reputation. 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. Guenther is the previous chief scientist of the Air Force Weapons Laboratory and held a similar position at Los Alamos National Laboratory. He was instrumental in the creation of the New Mexico Optics Industry Association in 1998. Currently, Guenther is a research professor of electrical and computer engineering, as well as physics and astronomy, in the Center for High Technology Materials at the UNM. ###

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