Maria Josefa Yzuel

Who or what inspired your career choice? I studied physics because of its deep mathematical background and its ability to explain the phenomena of nature. What I like most about optics is the impact it has on other sciences -- recent advances in optical instruments and techniques have led to tremendous growth in numerous scientific disciplines.

What is exciting about your work? I find the combination of research and teaching offered by a university position to be extremely rewarding. I particularly enjoy training young researchers in optics and supervising their PhD theses.

Knowing what you know now, what education route would you recommend for aspiring optical scientists? Students of physics and electrical engineering should consider the field of optics. Studies on the development of optics and photonics are showing the number of people trained in these fields does not meet future demand; therefore, I would encourage young researchers enter these fields.