Optical Engineering Services Team Members

David R. Jenkins

Director, R&D, Optics

Dave Jenkins’ product and system design experience includes novel illumination systems in automotive exterior lighting, street lighting, medical lighting, architectural lighting, avionics, display systems, projection systems, machine vision, scanners, R&D instrumentation, entertainment lighting, LED packages and light engines. He often employs innovative modeling and optimization techniques, algorithms, mapping strategies, and geometry parameterizations. Dave has developed numerous metrology systems to aid in characterizing optical materials, light sources, LEDs, and illumination products focusing most recently on electrical-thermal-optical characterization of LEDs for color mixed systems and characterization of phosphors and optical materials exhibiting volumetric scattering.

Mark Kahan

Chief Engineer of Electro-Optical Systems

Mark Kahan is an expert in optical systems engineering, error budgeting, the interdisciplinary modeling of environmental effects on and the cost of optical systems, materials/stability, radiative loads/shielding and aircraft windows/boundary layers. Mr. Kahan has served in roles that have included full performance accountability, research, computer code development, and technology assessments from the UV to the IR in environments from underwater to outer space.

Mike Rodgers, Ph.D.

Principal Engineer, Optical Design

Dr. Mike Rodgers experience is primarily in the area of the design, analysis, and tolerance allocation of optical systems. A significant fraction of his recent and ongoing work is in support of specialized advanced programs, conducted on-site at the customers’ facilities, which has led to successfully fabricated optics. One of Mike’s unique areas of expertise is the optical design of unobscured mirror systems with 3-7 mirrors.

John Rogers, Ph.D.

Senior Scientist, Imaging Optics

Dr. John Rogers has designed such diverse systems as photogrammetry for clinical dental use, ophthalmic surgical systems, biocular and binocular systems, FLIR systems, helmet-mounted displays, zoom lenses, and systems using Gradient Index (GRIN) lenses, all of which resulted in operational hardware. He has expertise in optical fabrication and metrology and is an expert with the process of taking an optical design into production.

Dr. Rogers is the 2020 recipient of the SPIE Rudolf and Hilda Kingslake Award.

Blake Crowther, Ph.D.

Principal Engineer, Imaging Optics

Dr. Blake Crowther has designed optical systems ranging from EUV lithography systems to low-cost, high-volume plastic optical systems to space systems. He has experience building and testing optical systems as well as complete camera systems. He has also led the design and buildup of optical systems.

Scott Lerner, Ph.D.

Principal Engineer, Imaging Optics

Dr. Scott Lerner’s experience spans wavelengths from soft x-rays through long wave infrared, lens focal lengths from millimeters to meters, and applications from space optics to mass-produced novel consumer cameras. His onsite experience with vendors has resulted in optimized designs that enable as-built performance, high yields, and cost-effective approaches.

Luc Gilles, Ph.D.

Principal Engineer, Imaging Optics

Dr. Luc Gilles has experience in performance analysis, modeling and computer simulation of optical systems, including imaging systems, adaptive optics systems, photonics systems, and quantum optical systems. He contributed to the design and tolerance analysis of a fiber spectrograph camera and a laser launch telescope for the Thirty Meter Telescope project, and contributed to numerous adaptive optics projects and systems design reviews. As a consultant, he contributed to the design and prototyping of a compact camera lens module for a cell phone. More recently, he gained experience designing freeform optical systems. 

Bill Cassarly, Ph.D.

Senior Scientist, Illumination Engineering

Dr. Bill Cassarly is a driving force in the movement to create the field of computer-aided illumination engineering. His efforts include illumination optimization, illumination engineering consulting, technical papers and invited talks, educational course development, and intellectual property development.

Simon Magarill, Ph.D.

Senior Systems Engineer

Dr. Simon Magarill has a broad experience in illumination system development, optics software development, and imaging design. He has a diversified experience in development and commercialization of various optical devices. He has strong knowledge in the fields of geometrical/aberrational optics, opto-mechanical considerations, computer simulation and analysis of illumination optical system designs.