Peter Delfyett


Peter J. Delfyett Jr is an American engineer and Professor of Optics and Photonics at the University of Central Florida College of Optics and Photonics. He was awarded the 1996 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers. He is a Fellow of the American Physical Society and The Optical Society.

Early life and education

Delfyett, who is African-American, was born in Queens, New York. When he was in his first grade he was taken to see the film Journey to the Beginning of Time. As a child he played the drums and basketball. He attended the City College of New York, where he studied electrical engineering. Whilst he was a sophomore Delfyett became interested in optics. He was mentored by Robert Alfano. He moved to the University of Rochester for his graduate studies, where he earned a master's degree in 1983. After graduating he returned to the City College of New York for a doctoral degree, re-joining the laboratory of Alfano. His doctoral research focussed on ultrafast spectroscopy. After graduating, Delfyett joined Bell Communication Research where he worked on semiconductor lasers. At Bellcore, Delfyett created the highest power mode-locked diode laser in the world.

Research and career

In 1993 Delfyett moved to the University of Central Florida College of Optics and Photonics, where he was made the Professor of Optics and Photonics. Here he established an Ultrafast Photonics group who worked on semiconductor lasers. He developed the semiconductor laser diode that could achieve the shortest and most intense laser pulse in the world.

Academic service

Delfyett was a founding member of the National Science Foundation Scientists and Engineers in the School Program. He has served as Editor-in-Chief of the IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics and the IEEE Photonics Technology Letters. In 2011 Delfyett was awarded the American Physical Society Edward A. Bouchet Award.

Awards and honors

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