Lifetime Achievement Award
James Zavislan receives 2026 Hajim School Lifetime Achievement Award
An alumnus and longtime faculty member from the Institute of Optics who has been called an “engineer’s engineer” by his peers is being presented with the Hajim School’s top annual faculty award. The Hajim School selected ProfessorJames Zavislan ’81, ’88 PhD for the 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award, which recognizes faculty for outstanding achievements in research, teaching, and leadership over the course of their career.
Zavislan joined the Institute of Optics faculty in 2001 following a successful stint in industry, first at the prestigious IBM Almaden Research Center and then after cofounding Lucid, Inc., which led the way in confocal surgical microscopy, a technique used to noninvasively detect skin cancer. “Jim’s groundbreaking research, much of it elucidated in his over 60 issued patents, solved numerous bottle-neck problems for miniaturization as well as the challenges of in vivo use,” notes Thomas Brown, director of the Institute of Optics.
Zavislan’s industrial and entrepreneurial experience have been put to great use at the Institute of Optics. His accomplishments include helping to found the Robert E. Hopkins Center for Optical Design and Engineering, design the curriculum for the optical engineering program, and architect the senior design capstone course.
His impact as an educator extends beyond the Institute of Optics. He served as the Hajim School’s associate dean for education and new initiatives from 2013-2019 and from 2018-2021 was appointed the Mercer Brugler Distinguished Teaching Professor, which recognizes excellence in teaching and encourages the development of cross-disciplinary instructional programs.
Students commend Zavislan for his approachability and willingness to offer a helping hand. “Jim has been a large part of making the optics department feel like a family, providing the guidance and support to help students recognize their true potential and achieve their goals,” notes one student.
Among his national honors and awards, Zavislan was named a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors in 2019 and a fellow of Optica in 2008. Zavislan is an active and integral part of the regional National Science Foundation I-Corps node, an immersive, entrepreneurial training program that facilitates the transformation of invention to impact.
“Few have been as effective and inspiring in taking the science and engineering ‘lessons learned’ into an academic career as well as Jim,” says Brown.