Newly elected SPIE board members bring distinct backgrounds to optics and photonics community

David Hagan has been elected to serve as the 2027 Vice President of SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics. He will serve as President-Elect in 2028, and as the Society’s President in 2029. The SPIE Board of Directors is influential in the scientific community, establishing policy and strategy and conducting activities of interest to SPIE Members.

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Top row, from left to right: David Hagan, Jim McNally, Mark Clampin. Bottom row, from left to right: Marla Dowell, Jana Kainerstorfer, Katie Schwertz

The 2026 SPIE President, Julie Bentley, professor of optics at the University of Rochester, made the new electees announcement at the Annual General Meeting of the Society on 25 August during SPIE Optics + Photonics. Terms begin on 1 January 2027.

In addition to his work at CREOL (University of Florida, USA), Hagan has been an SPIE Fellow since 2017. His research has focused on nonlinear optical materials, leading to widely adopted techniques, new theoretical understandings, and multiple highly cited publications. Hagan’s service has included actively participating as a board member of the Florida Photonics Cluster as well as on the SPIE Board of Directors and the Strategic Planning and Education and Outreach Committees. He also chaired the Conference on Nonlinear Optical Liquids at SPIE Optics + Photonics. Hagan plans to focus on building consensus for a sustained global outreach initiative to increase awareness of optics and photonics, help expand the workforce pipeline, and foster a diverse and welcoming community.

"The world increasingly depends on photonics, and our greatest responsibility is to ensure that the next generation is ready to lead its future," says Hagan. "I am honored to serve SPIE and look forward to working with our global community to inspire, educate, and empower the scientists and engineers who will shape that future."

Alongside Hagan, Cather Simpson of the University of Auckland will serve as the 2027 SPIE President, while Kyle Myers of Puente Solutions, LLC will serve as the 2027 President-Elect.

SPIE Fellow Jim McNally, CEO of StratTHNK Associates, has been serving as SPIE Secretary/Treasurer since 2023, and was elected to serve again in 2027. McNally was awarded an Invention of the Year by TIME magazine in 2006 for his work as the founding CEO of TruTouch Technologies, Inc., which developed the world’s first non-invasive alcohol measurement product.

The four newly elected Society Directors will serve three-year terms from 2027-2029:

Jana Kainerstorfer is professor and associate department head of the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, USA, and is on the Scientific Advisory Board of CoMind Technologies, UK.

Katie Schwertz is senior manager of Optical Assemblies & Technology at Edmund Optics, USA, and was named to Electro Optics The Photonics100 in 2025.

Marla Dowell is executive director of EDGE Consortium and a visiting professor at Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth College, USA, and has received the NIST Allen V. Astin Award for leadership in laser metrology.

Mark Clampin is deputy associate administrator of the Science Mission Directorate with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), USA, and received a Presidential Meritorious Rank Award in 2021.

The SPIE Nominating Committee accepts recommendations for the election slate on an ongoing basis. Directors, who serve a three-year term, are expected to attend and participate in three board meetings each year. To make a recommendation, or for more information, email governance@spie.org.

About SPIE

SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics, brings engineers, scientists, students, and business professionals together to advance light-based science and technology. The Society, founded in 1955, connects and engages with our global constituency through industry-leading conferences and exhibitions; publications of conference proceedings, books, and journals in the SPIE Digital Library; and career-building opportunities. Over the past five years, we have invested more than $26 million in the international optics community through our advocacy and support, including scholarships, educational resources, travel grants, endowed gifts, and public-policy development. Learn more about us at spie.org.

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Lindsey McGuirk
Public Relations Manager
lindseym@spie.org
+1 360 685 5443
SPIE on LinkedIn

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