We are delighted to announce that Judy Donnelly has been chosen as the 2026 IEEE Technical Skills Educator Award.
For lifelong dedication to optics and photonics education, advancing scientific training, innovation, and global educational development in photonics worldwide.
Professor Emerita Judy Donnelly served as professor of physics and technology at Three Rivers Community College in Norwich, CT (formerly Thames Valley State Technical College) for 36 years. In 1997, after two decades of teaching electronics and physics, she developed the Laser and Fiber Optic Technology (LFOT) associate degree program with the assistance of an industry advisory committee and served as LFOT Program Coordinator and instructor until her
retirement.
Donnelly has been involved in STEM outreach since the mid 1980s when she ran an after-school club, “Mrs. Wizard’s Science Secrets”, at a local elementary school. She enlisted her LFOT students as instructors at a yearly high school “Laser Camp” and a 5th grade version, “Junior Laser Camp” that brought hundreds of students to the college photonics labs. After retirement, she worked with her math-teacher son to develop hands-on activities to illustrate and enliven math concepts. During the Covid19 pandemic, she co-presented webinars for parents, teachers and students as part of Optica’s We Are On series, including 8 live interactive hands-on “Optics at Home” lessons.
From 1995 until 2025 she worked with the New England Board of Higher Education and Springfield Technical Community College on seven projects funded by the National Science Foundation/Advanced Technological Education program to develop curriculum and provide faculty professional development nationwide for optics/photonics education and problem-based learning. She is the co-author of two books: Light–Introduction to Optics and Photonics, a textbook for technicians (Laurin Publishing) and Exploring Light: Investigations for Optics Education (SPIE Press).
Donnelly received the SPIE Maria Yzuel Educator Award (2003) and the Optica Esther Hoffman Beller Medal (2012) for outstanding contributions to optical science and engineering education. She is a Senior Member and Fellow Member of both societies.
www.pblprojects.org
