Jennifer Barton Chosen as President of SPIE

Jennifer Barton, director of the University of Arizona BIO5 Institute and Thomas R. Brown Distinguished Chair in BME has officially commenced her role as the 2024 President of the International Society for Optics and Photonics, SPIE.

SPIE partners with researchers, educators, and industry to advance light-based research and technology. The Society, founded in 1955, connects and engages with its global constituency through conferences and exhibitions, publications of conference proceedings, books and journals.

Barton is celebrated for her work developing miniature endoscopes, medical devices typically used to detect abnormalities in the cells lining the gastrointestinal tract. She spent nearly a decade developing a device small enough to image the fallopian tubes – narrow ducts connecting the uterus to the ovaries – and search for signs of early-stage cancer.

"The University of Arizona provided me the opportunity and resources to develop optical solutions for early disease detection, working with scientists and physicians," Barton said. "SPIE has brought that work to an international stage through conferences, publications, and broad networking. It’s my honor to contribute to both organizations."

Learn more about Barton's contributions to optical imaging and biomedical research here.