Arjun Virk Email & Phone Number

My background is in Imaging and Optics. I worked as a research assistant for several years in a Biophotonics Lab at Stony Brook University that specializes in Terahertz (THz) Biomedical Imaging. I started with tasks such as writing programs to control motorized stages for imaging applications, and conducting analysis and visualization of THz spectroscopy signals in time and frequency domain.Eventually I had the opportunity to work on developing a THz imaging system that could be used to perform topographic imaging of curved biological surfaces, such as the human cornea. This has a huge potential to change the way we can diagnose ocular diseases before they manifest into someone more severe. Using free-space optical alignment techniques, I built several iterations of this scanner over the years, improving each version so this application could eventually be used for clinical studies. One of my proudest achievements came when I designed, fabricated and tested a unique pair of imaging lenses that could be used to significantly improve the scanner performance.During my time here, I became familiar with the research process that I feel is expected in most optics professions, and have developed skills in optic/laser alignment, optical metrology, lens design, MATLAB programming, data collection/analysis, signal/image processing, ray-tracing simulations, optimization algorithms and more. I have also had the privilege to communicate our findings with the larger scientific community through conference presentations and several journal publications.I expanded my skillset by also working as an R&D Laser engineer in the industry, where I gained additional experience in laser design and production. This includes fiber fusion splicing, laser base preparation, monitoring over laser performance over time (i.e. beam profile) and more. Recently I've grown interested in the expanding field of Data Science and Machine Learning. Having to analyze collected data and find not-so-obvious trends is something we come across often in the research world. To find these trends and make meaningful conclusions is something that is required everywhere, from any research lab to a company that's looking to make some changes on how to conduct business or improve their services. I recently took courses in Data Science and AI Engineering, and I feel confident that I can use these skills, along with everything I have learned in lasers and optics, to succeed in my new position as an Optical Engineer at the Kearfott Corporation, a proud member of the Astronautics Corporation of America.