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Robert S. Hilbert Memorial Optical Design Competition
Announcing our 2024 Winners
Congratulations to:
Kaleb Bellenbaum, California Polytechnic State University
Nick Ghaffarian, California Polytechnic State University
Benjamin Hancock, University of Rochester
Nathaniel Lazzara, University of Rochester
Lucas Lucia, California Polytechnic State University
Nancy Mabry, University of Rochester
Elizabeth Matchavariani, University of Rochester
Shupeng Ning, University of Texas Austin
Xichen Shan, University of Central Florida
Victoria Usachev, University of Rochester
McCain Varley, University of Rochester
About the Competition
The Synopsys Optical 91³Ô¹ÏÍø Group invites you to participate in its Robert S. Hilbert Memorial Optical Design Competition, which recognizes excellence in optical design projects completed by students.
The competition honors the memory of Bob Hilbert (1941-2008), former President and Chief Executive Officer of ORA. Bob was a dynamic and respected leader who was actively involved in all aspects of ORA business, from shaping important CODE V and LightTools software features to supporting key optical design and engineering initiatives. Bob had served ORA since 1975, and was deeply committed throughout his career to fostering technical innovation in optics, enabling customer success, mentoring staff, and supporting optics education. He received B.S. and M.S. Degrees in Optics from the University of Rochester, was an SPIE Fellow, and held seven U.S. Patents in the field of optics.
To participate, students can enter an optical design class assignment or thesis work completed during the 2023-2024 academic year using any of our software tools: CODE V, LightTools, LucidShape, RSoft Photonic Device Tools, or Photonic 91³Ô¹ÏÍø. Awards totaling $20,000 will be granted. The entry deadline is June 16, 2025. Winners will be announced in August.
View the competition rules or frequently asked questions (FAQs).
Eligibility
To be eligible, you must:
- Be currently enrolled in a post-secondary degree program in North America, working toward a bachelor's, master's, or Ph.D.
- Your work must have been completed using CODE V, LightTools, LucidShape, RSoft Photonic Device Tools, or Photonic 91³Ô¹ÏÍø software, and demonstrate knowledge of optics, optical engineering, and optical design software.
- Have not won this competition in prior years.
All entries completed and turned in to your professor during the current school year are eligible.
Download the Entry Form
You can download a PDF version of our entry form that can be viewed, filled in, and printed using Acrobat Reader. If you don't have a copy of Acrobat Reader, go to the , where you can download it for free.
For More Details
- E-mail us at hilbert_competition@synopsys.com
- Or contact your campus representative
- Call us at 626-795-9101, Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. PST
Also for Students
The Michael Kidger Memorial Scholarship is to be awarded to a student of optical design, where the term "optical design" is meant to include lens design, illumination design and computational optical design. For more information and how to enter, visit the .
- Hilbert Student Travel Grant
- Student licenses