Fundamentals of Light and Lasers

Dr. Brian Monacelli is an optical engineer and professor. He currently works at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) as a Principal Optical Engineer and supervisor of the Optical Implementation group. He has supported the assembly, alignment, and test of pioneering missions, including the SHERLOC instrument on the Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover and the Coronagraph Instrument of the Roman Space Telescope. Beyond his work in space exploration and planetary science, Dr. Monacelli is a dedicated leader in workforce development as the professor and director of the Laser Technology Program at Pasadena City College. He holds a Ph.D. from the College of Optics and Photonics (CREOL) at the University of Central Florida, an M.S. from the Institute of Optics at the University of Rochester, and a B.S. from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. He also helps develop optics standards as the Chair of the Education and Outreach Committee of the Optics and Electro-Optics Standards Counsel. A Senior Member of Optica and SPIE, Dr. Monacelli combines high-level mission engineering with a commitment to training the next generation of optics and laser technicians.