The Joe and Agnete Yaver Memorial Scholarship is intended for those seeking further education that provides “the business knowledge required to facilitate the advancement and application of optics and photonics research and technology.”
The US $10,000 scholarship is available to SPIE Members and staff seeking an advanced degree or certificate from an accredited program. Examples include organizational management programs awarding master's degrees in non-profit management, business administration, and technology management; or continuing education programs offering certificates in business administration, program management, and data science and visualization.
The scholarship honors the contributions and vision of the Yavers, who were instrumental to the technical and financial success of the Society.
Questions? Contact scholarships@spie.org
The 2025 application is due 14 March 2025.
Joe Yaver, who died in November 2016, was the innovative executive director of SPIE from November 1969 until 1993. Agnete Yaver worked alongside her husband in building the foundation for SPIE’s current multidisciplinary international scope, and advancing its mission. Learn more about Joe and Agnete's contributions to SPIE by downloading our booklet, Remembering Joe Yaver.
Columbia University (United States)
Haiqiu Yang, who will complete a PhD in Electrical Engineering at Columbia University in December 2024, is the recipient of the 2024 Joe and Agnete Yaver Memorial Scholarship. She will use the scholarship to pursue coursework in financial analysis techniques and valuation methods, as well as management, through the Executive Education program at Columbia Business School.
Yang reported that her goal is to become an entrepreneur by commercializing the optical imaging system that she created during her PhD. She noted, “I hope to further my involvement in the entrepreneur ecosystem with my optics imaging technology and raise public awareness of how optics and photonics development can contribute to human society.”
Through her studies at Columbia Business School, Yang seeks to hone skills necessary to ensure successful operations of a startup business and develop effective strategy for product development for the market need. She is committed to bringing more talent into advanced optics research, engaging more universities with optics industries, and providing research strategy consultations to optics startups.
"By combining my research background with business education,” she said, “I am committed to empowering optical technologies through commercialization and driving optics innovations in the world."
International Gemini Observatory (United States)
Shawn Barbod, a project manager working with the International Gemini Observatory, was the recipient of the 2023 Joe and Agnete Yaver Memorial Scholarship. He used the scholarship to earn an MBA degree at the University of Fredericton with a specialty in innovation leadership.
Barbod reported that pursuing an MBA would build on his experiences as a project manager of diverse, multidisciplinary teams and further his passion for innovation and development.
“By combining my STEM background with business acumen, my goal is to become a well-rounded and versatile professional capable of driving technological and scientific advancements,” he said. “I am sincerely grateful to SPIE and the Joe and Agnete Yaver Memorial Scholarship for their generous support, which has granted me this incredible opportunity.”
Leiden University Medical Center (Netherlands)
Oleksandra Ivashchenko, a medical physics resident at the Leiden University Medical Center, received the 2022 Yaver Scholarship. She used the scholarship to complete a part-time MBA program in healthcare management at the University of Amsterdam's Business School, while taking on a post-residency role as a senior medical physicist in the department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging at the University Medical Center of Groningen.
Read the SPIE press release to learn more.
SPIE Staff (United States)
SPIE staffer Alison Walker, a marketing project manager with the Society, received the 2020 Yaver Scholarship. She used the award to pursue two certification courses available via Cornell University's online learning platform: a six-month Project Management Certificate and a three-month Web Design and Development Certificate. She maintained her marketing role with SPIE during her studies.
Read the SPIE press release to learn more.
American Institute of Physics (United States)
SPIE Member Bethany Johns, manager of government relations and public policy at the American Institute of Physics received the 2019 Yaver Scholarship. She used the funds to become a Certified Association Executive (CAE), through the American Society of Association Executives.
Read the SPIE press release to learn more.
QED Technologies (United States)
Chris Maloney, a senior applications engineer at QED Technologies was the recipient of the inaugural Joe and Agnete Yaver Memorial Scholarship. Chris applied the scholarship toward the MBA program at Messiah College for Strategic Leadership.
Read the SPIE press release to learn more.
The Yaver Scholarship is one of several named SPIE scholarships that are funded by companies and individuals who partner with SPIE to serve its non-profit educational mission.