USC's Andrea Armani named Young Global Leader

The World Economic Forum has recognized SPIE Senior Member Andrea Armani, associate professor and Fluor Early Career Chair of Engineering at University of Southern California, as a Young Global Leader.

Young Global Leaders (YGLs) are individuals, under the age of 40, who have committed their time and talent to make the world a better place. From Oscar winners to astronauts, the YGLs community consists of 50 percent business and 50 percent non-business leaders. Armani is one of only two Americans among the 187 2015 YGLs.

While striving for research excellence, Armani is recognized for her teaching and mentoring. Researchers working side-by-side with Armani say she has all the desirable qualities in a mentor and fosters a sense of community in her lab.

Armani received her PhD in Applied Physics from the California Institute of Technology with a minor in Biology in 2006 and her BA in Physics from the University of Chicago in 2001.

Armani has received numerous awards, including a Young Investigator Award at SPIE Photonics West (2008). She has also been honored with the Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Award (2009), the Technology Review Top 35 Innovators under 35 (2009), the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program New Investigator Award (2010), the USC Mellon Mentoring Award for Undergraduate Mentoring (2010), the NIH New Innovator Award (2010), and the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (2010).

For more information:

• USC Viterbi School of Engineering press release
• Andrea Armani's SPIE.org profile
• YGLs 2015