Rich Lepkowicz
Senior Vice President, Optical Engineering
Rich leads the optical engineering team which is responsible for delivering best-in-class optical designs leveraging our nano-layered gradient refractive index (LGRIN) technology for both internal and client-sponsored projects. Additionally, the optical engineering team is tightly integrated with the broader engineering/manufacturing team to design, implement and validate customized metrology solutions to ensure final lenses met or exceed design tolerances. A key member of the leadership team, Rich provides insights to help define strategic direction for both design and manufacturing development and is the primary technical interface for client projects.
Rich has 20 years of research experience in optical sciences/engineering in academia, government laboratories and funding agencies with a proven expertise in the areas of optical design (proficient in Zemax and Code V) incorporating advanced materials/components for traditional and non-traditional (computational, compressive, plenoptic function based) systems; image chain analysis; optical fabrication, assembly and characterization methods; nonlinear optical materials and experimental methods; numerical and analytical beam propagation methods; in vivo neural imaging methodologies/technologies focused on advanced photonic components. Ten years of direct experience managing advanced scientific programs as both a performer and technical consultant for government agencies such as the Defense Advanced Re-search Project Agency (DARPA), Office of Naval Research (ONR) and the National Science Foundation (NSF).
Rich is a former Professor of Physics and Optical Engineering at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, a Cottrell Fellow, and held a National Research Council Postdoctoral Fellowship. He holds a M.S. and Ph.D. in Optics from the College of Optics and Photonics (CREOL) at the University of Central Florida and a B.S. in physics from the Georgia Institute of Technology. In his spare time, he likes to explore the application of big data to areas relevant and not so relevant (sports analytics) to his job.