M. J. Soileau

Position: University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL     
Vice President for Research & Commercialization and Distinguished Prof. of Optics, ECE, and Physics, June 1999-Present
Interim Vice President for Research & Graduate Studies, July 1998-June 1999
Director, School of Optics/CREOL, University of Central Florida, January 1987 to June 1999

Education:
Ph.D.  Electrical Engineering/Quantum Electronics         
University of Southern California             1979
M.S.    Physics/Optics                                                              University of Utah                                   1968
B.S.    Astronomy and Physics                                              
Louisiana State University                       1967
                                                                                                           Present Duties:  Heads the UCF Office of Research & Commercialization which includes:

1. Office of Sponsored Programs, which, in turn, is responsible for providing contract and grant services for the university faculty and staff. 

2. Oversight and management of interdisciplinary centers, including, the Center for Research and Education in Optics and Lasers (CREOL), the Institute of Simulation and Training (IST), the Nano Science and Technology Center (NSTC), the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC), the Advanced Materials Processing and Application Center (AMPAC), the Bio Molecular Science Center, the Women’s Research Center, and the UCF Arboretum.

3. The UCF Technology Incubator and the university Technology Transfer Office.

4. The UCF Research Foundation (the VP Research serves as president of this organization.)

5. Represents the research agenda of the university in the senior administration and in partnerships with federal, state, and local agencies and the private business sector.

Current Board Memberships and Community Service:
bioOrlando Scientific Council
Board of Directors of BEAM, Inc. (UCF Spin-off Company)
Board of Directors of Aquafiber, Corp.
Board of Directors of the Florida Photonics Cluster (501.c.3 corporation) President UCF Research Foundation (501.c.3 Corporation)
Board of Trustees (past Chairman) of the Orlando Science (501.c.3 corporation)
President, Laser Induced Damage, Inc. (501.c.3 Corporation)
Vice Chairman of the Board, Florida Research Consortium (FRC)(501.c3 corporation)
Board (and Past Chair) of the Orange County Research and Development Authority
Board of Directors of the Space Coast Economic Development Commission
Board of Directors and Vice Chairman, Florida Research Consortium
Board and Executive Committee of the Astronaut Memorial Foundation
Space Florida Education and Research Committee
Tech Council of Enterprise Florida

Selected Honors:
Gold Medal of the SPIE, 2008
Ester Hoffman Beller Medal of the OSA, 2007
President of the SPIE-the International Society for Optical Engineering, 1997
Director’s Award, SPIE-the International Society for Optical Engineering, 1998
Fellow of the SPIE, the Optical Society of America, AAAS, and the IEEE
Elected a Foreign Member of the Russian Academy of Engineering Sciences, 1995

Publications and Presentations: 
Over 170 technical and scientific papers in the general areas of optics, laser induced damage to optical materials and nonlinear optics.

Past Positions: Officer, USAF (1967-73), VP MITS, Inc. (1971-72), Research Scientist, US Navy (1973-80), Prof. Of Physics, University of North Texas, (1980-86).