Robert Louis Byer is a physicist. He was president of the

Optical Society of America Optica (formerly known as The Optical Society (OSA) and before that as the Optical Society of America) is a professional society of individuals and companies with an interest in optics and photonics. It publishes journals and organizes conference ...

in 1994 and of the

American Physical Society The American Physical Society (APS) is a not-for-profit membership organization of professionals in physics and related disciplines, comprising nearly fifty divisions, sections, and other units. Its mission is the advancement and diffusion of k ...

in 2012. He currently is the

William R. Kenan, Jr. William Rand Kenan Jr. (April 30, 1872 – July 28, 1965) was an American chemist, engineer, manufacturer, dairy farmer, and philanthropist. Early life William Rand Kenan Jr. was born in Wilmington, North Carolina, on April 30, 1872., son of Willi ...

Professor of Applied Physics at Stanford University. He has conducted research and taught classes in lasers and nonlinear optics at Stanford University since 1969. He has made numerous contributions to laser science and technology including the demonstration of the first tunable visible parametric oscillator, the development of the Q-switched unstable resonator Nd:YAG laser, remote sensing using tunable infrared sources and precision spectroscopy using Coherent Anti Stokes Raman Scattering (CARS). Current research includes the development of nonlinear optical materials and laser diode pumped solid state laser sources for applications to gravitational wave detection and to laser particle acceleration. He served as Chair of the Applied Physics Department from 1980 to 1983 and 1999 to 2002. He served as Associate Dean of Humanities and Sciences from 1984 to 1986 and served as Vice Provost and Dean of Research at Stanford University from 1987 through 1992. He served as the Director of Edward L. Ginzton Laboratory from 2006-2008 after serving as Director of Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory from 1997 through 2006. Professor Byer played a major role in the success of three laser technology companies. Quanta-Ray commercialized a high-energy pulsed laser invented in the Byer lab which is still widely used in scientific research. Quanta-Ray was acquired by Spectra-Physics in 1981 and is now a part of Newport Corporation. Byer was a founder of Lightwave Electronics, a pioneering designer and manufacturer of

diode-pumped solid-state laser A diode-pumped solid-state laser (DPSSL) is a solid-state laser made by pumping a solid gain medium, for example, a ruby or a neodymium-doped YAG crystal, with a laser diode. DPSSLs have advantages in compactness and efficiency over other types, ...

s, which was acquired by

JDS Uniphase JDS Uniphase Corporation (JDSU) was an American company that designed and manufactured products for optical communications networks, communications test and measurement equipment, lasers, optical solutions for authentication and decorative applica ...

in 2005 and is now a part of Lumentum. He played a similar role at Mobius Photonics, which produced pulsed

fiber laser A fiber laser (or fibre laser in British English) is a laser in which the active gain medium is an optical fiber doped with rare-earth elements such as erbium, ytterbium, neodymium, dysprosium, praseodymium, thulium and holmium. They are related t ...

s, and was acquired by

IPG Photonics IPG Photonics is an American manufacturer of fiber lasers. IPG Photonics developed and commercialized optical fiber lasers, which are used in a variety of applications including materials processing, medical applications and telecommunications. ...

in 2013.Optics.org, "Start-up Spotlight: Mobius Photonics," April 11, 2008.
/ref> Professor Byer led Stanford University's contributions to the

Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) is a large-scale physics experiment and observatory designed to detect cosmic gravitational waves and to develop gravitational-wave observations as an astronomical tool. Two large o ...

, which made the first-ever detection of a disturbance in space-time caused by a pair of merging black holes on September 14, 2015. Professor Byer is a Fellow of The Optical Society, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the American Physical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Laser Institute of America. In 1985 Professor Byer served as president of the IEEE Lasers and Electro-optics Society. He was elected President of the Optical Society of America and served in 1994. He is a founding member of the California Council on Science and Technology and served as chair from 1995 - 1999. He was a member of the Air Force Science Advisory Board from 2002–2006 and has been a member of the National Ignition Facility Advisory Committee since 2000. In 1996, Professor Byer received the Quantum Electronics Award from the Lasers and Electro-optics Society of the IEEE. In 1998 he received the

R. W. Wood Prize The R. W. Wood Prize is an award endowed by Xerox and given by The Optical Society to an individual that makes an outstanding technical contribution or an invention in the field of optics. The award was established in 1975 in commemoration of Robert ...

of the

and the A. L. Schawlow Award from the Laser Institute of America. In 2000 he was the recipient of the IEEE Third Millennium Medal. In 2008 he received the IEEE Photonics Award. In 2009, he received the Frederic Ives Medal of the Optical Society of America. Professor Byer has published more than 500 scientific papers and holds 50 patents in the fields of lasers and nonlinear optics. Professor Byer was elected a member of the

National Academy of Engineering The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) is an American nonprofit, non-governmental organization. The National Academy of Engineering is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy ...

in 1987 for major contributions to the science and technology of nonlinear optics. He also became a member of the

National Academy of Sciences The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is a United States nonprofit, non-governmental organization. NAS is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the Nati ...

in 2000.

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Articles Published by early OSA Presidents
Journal of the Optical Society of America

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See also