AFOSR Chief Scientist Visits U of A

— Tucson, AZ —

William P. Roach, PhD, Chief Scientist of the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), the basic research office of the Air Force Research Laboratory, visited the University of Arizona on September 9, 2024.

Hosted by Jennifer Barton, Director of the BIO5 Institute, and Alex McGhee, Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering (BME), Roach delivered an inspiring talk in the BME Fall Seminar series. He highlighted AFOSR's mission to advance basic research for the future of the Air and Space Force.

“It was an honor to host Dr. Roach at the University of Arizona and showcase the cutting-edge research happening across U of A labs,” Barton said. “His insights and engagement with our students and faculty truly reflect the collaborative spirit that drives innovation and discovery at the university. We look forward to continued partnerships with the Air Force Office of Scientific Research as we work together to push the boundaries of science for the benefit of society.”

Throughout his visit, Roach actively engaged with both students and faculty. He joined BME students Dilara Long (Barton's Tissue Optics Laboratory), David Clausen (Gutruf Lab), and Ivan Sarabia (Jason Wertheim's lab) for lunch. Roach also toured several labs, including the Barton Lab, the Song Lab, Tsu-Te Judith Su's Little Sensor Lab, the Gutruf Lab, and Dongkyun "DK" Kang's Translational Optical Imaging Lab. Ron Liang, PhD, also provided a tour of the Optical Engineering & Fabrication Facility.

Roach met with several faculty members over breakfast and dinner, including Deans of Engineering and Optical Sciences, as well as the department heads and faculty in BME and Optical Sciences.