When I came to the University of Rochester, I was a biology/pre-med major, and had never heard about optics. Unfortunately, becoming a medical doctor was not in my future because I couldn’t stand the sight of blood. A friend told me about optics: she was the coolest woman I had met on campus and was good in math and science like me, so figured that optics must be awesome because it was her major, so I changed to optics and never looked back.

I found that I had a talent for designing and developing optical interference coatings. There were not a lot of women in my first optics job; the lead technician [older white male] thought it was funny to call me “little girl.” My boss heard about this nickname and gave me a very complicated design request from an important customer. I found a solution that same day and gave it to my tormentor to fabricate. He had never seen a design like that and told me it wouldn’t work; I told him to humor me. He made it, and it surpassed all the customer’s specifications. He never called me “little girl” again.

I have never been a very good test-taker, so my grades have always been subpar. However, I excelled as an engineer in the workplace. Grades did not define me or my future success.

I was fortunate to be accepted to Rochester Institute of Technology’s Color Science PhD program when I was in my 40s. Don’t let anyone tell you it is too late to go back to school. About the time I earned my PhD, I also earned my fourth-degree black belt in Taekwondo. I discovered that anyone can do anything when they take small, positive steps forward.

Now I am an associate professor of optics at Rochester, as well as a senior scientist at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics. I am full-time teaching faculty, as well as program director of the MS Optics program. I teach classes in beginner and advanced coating design, wave optics, color technology, and undergraduate and master’s labs. I bring excitement to my classes because I love my job. I want my students to remember me being excited to meet them and educate them, to help them realize that everyone can make a positive difference in optics.

Never lose the excitement of learning something new. Keep learning, keep growing, keep moving forward.

Jennifer Kruschwitz
Associate Professor of Optics, University of Rochester; Senior Scientist (LLE) and Optical Interference Coating Design Consultant, JK Consulting
Born in United States / Resides in United States
Educational Background: BS and MS in Optics, University of Rochester, United States; PhD in Color Science, Rochester Institute of Technology, United States