Talks and panel
Hear from researchers, engineers, industry professionals.
UCF CREOL · Orlando, Florida
Photonics Tomorrow
A one-day conference for undergraduate and graduate students in optics and photonics.
- Date
- February 27, 2027
- Location
- Live Oak BallroomFerrell Commons, UCF
- Admission
- Free registration
About
A student conference for optics and photonics.
Photonics Tomorrow brings students together to present their work, hear from scientists and engineers working in the field, and learn about careers in optics and photonics.
Student poster session
Present research, senior design work, or another optics and photonics project.
Networking
Meet students, speakers, and members of the local optics and photonics community.
Program
Schedule
Check In
Arrive at the Live Oak Ballroom, check in, and obtain your badge.
Conference Start
Welcome to Photonics Tomorrow, opening remarks, and a conference overview.
Speaker Session
Mr. Neil Singh
Dr. Gisele Bennett
Intermission
Dr. Margaret Zoila Dominguez
Pending
Intermission
Career Panel + Lunch
Enjoy lunch during the career panel, where you can ask our speakers about their journeys.
Poster Session
View presentations from UCF students and visitors. One winner will be selected by the SPIE and Optica Student Chapter leadership, and one by the audience.
Closing Ceremony
Final remarks, poster session winners, and thanks to our sponsors.
Mixer
Meet the speakers, spend time with other attendees, and enjoy food at Burger U.
Speakers
About our speakers
The program brings together speakers with experience across industry, government, and entrepreneurship.
Associate Branch Head / Optical Engineer
Dr. Margaret Zoila Dominguez
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Ph.D. from the University of Arizona
Dr. Margaret Dominguez holds a B.S. in Physics from the Universidad de las Americas Puebla, Mexico, and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Optical Sciences from the University of Arizona. Since 2009, she has worked as an optical engineer at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and is currently Associate Branch Head of the Optics, Lasers and Photonics Branch. She is supporting the development of the Habitable Worlds Observatory, NASA's next astrophysics flagship.
Optical Design / Stray Light Analyst
Neil Singh
L3Harris Space Imaging Division
Bachelor's degree from CREOL, UCF
Neil Singh graduated from CREOL in August 2025. He works at L3Harris Space Imaging Division as an optical designer and stray light analyst and is pursuing a master's degree with a concentration in imaging science and radiometry.
Optica President
Dr. Gisele Bennett
MEPSS LLC
Ph.D. from the Georgia Institute of Technology
Gisele Bennett is a founding and managing member of MEPSS LLC, a startup software company serving first responders internationally. She has held academic, industry, and research positions for more than 30 years. She is a Fellow of Optica and SPIE and a Senior Member of IEEE.
Speaker
Pending
Details pending
Speaker details pending.
Student leadership
About the SPIE and Optica team
Meet the student officers leading the SPIE and Optica chapters at UCF CREOL.
01
SPIE Student Chapter
5 officers
President
David Guacaneme
5th-year PhD student
Vice President
Diana Kashurnikova
4th-year undergraduate student
Treasurer
Chau Le
3rd-year undergraduate student
Secretary
Matt Dain
3rd-year undergraduate student
Outreach
Peter Olzsak
3rd-year undergraduate student
02
Optica Student Chapter
5 officers
President
Jeremy Goodenough
1st-year PhD student
Interests: high-power semiconductor lasers and space-flight package validation.
Vice President
Quincy Chief Deleon
3rd-year undergraduate student
Treasurer
Chau Le
3rd-year undergraduate student
Secretary
Thomas Meadows
3rd-year undergraduate student
Projects Lead
Leah Groh
4th-year undergraduate student
Present a poster
Share your work.
Undergraduate and graduate students may submit research, senior design work, or another notable project.
Posters will be reviewed by the student chapters, speakers, and audience. Various awards can be won, for cash prizes.
Apply to presentLocation
Live Oak Ballroom
Conference venue
Live Oak Ballroom
Ferrell Commons4115 Pyxis Lane
Orlando, FL 32816Open in maps
Parking
Garage B
UCF permit holders can park in Garage B. Visitors can purchase a day pass online.
Get a visitor day pass
Why Photonics Tomorrow
A stage for emerging researchers.
CREOL—the Center for Research and Education in Optics and Lasers—is home to an exceptional community of undergraduate researchers. Too often, these students have limited opportunities to present their work and receive recognition for it.
Photonics Tomorrow gives undergraduate and graduate students the chance to hear from their peers, share their own findings through poster presentations, and compete for awards.
Students from UCF and other institutions are encouraged to submit their poster abstracts as soon as possible.
Submit a poster abstractSponsors
Registration
Registration is free.
Join us at UCF for a day of student research, talks, and conversation.
Register for Photonics Tomorrow