UNC Charlotte & SPIE Launch $1M Fund to Fuel Photonics Innovation

CHARLOTTE, NC – January 19, 2026

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte and SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics, have announced a landmark partnership to cultivate the next generation of innovators in light-based science. A new $1-million endowed fund, the SPIE Emerging Innovators in Optical Science and Engineering Scholarship, will provide crucial support for doctoral students, addressing a critical talent shortage in one of technology’s fastest-growing sectors.

The announcement, made during the recent SPIE Photonics West conference in San Francisco, detailed the joint financial commitment. A $500,000 gift from SPIE was fully matched by a $500,000 contribution from the UNC Charlotte Foundation, creating a permanent $1-million endowment. This fund, the first of its kind for UNC Charlotte’s Optical Science and Engineering program, will support two PhD students annually, empowering them to conduct research in rapidly advancing fields like nanophotonics, quantum optics, and biomedical imaging.

Tackling a Global Talent Gap

This investment arrives at a pivotal moment for the optics and photonics industry. The global photonics market, valued at nearly $1 trillion in 2024, is projected to surge past $1.3 trillion by 2030. This explosive growth is driven by relentless innovation in telecommunications, healthcare diagnostics, advanced manufacturing, and emerging technologies like LiDAR for autonomous vehicles. However, this expansion has created a significant and widening talent gap.

The demand for highly skilled professionals, particularly those with doctoral-level expertise, far outstrips the current supply. In the burgeoning field of quantum technology, a key focus for the new scholarship, job postings have increased by approximately 180% since 2020. Industry analyses warn that for every three open quantum-related positions, there is only one qualified candidate, with projections suggesting a need for nearly 250,000 quantum professionals by 2030.

The new scholarship at UNC Charlotte is designed to directly address this challenge. “Recipients of the SPIE Emerging Innovators in Optical Science and Engineering Scholarship will have an important impact on the future of optics and photonics,” said SPIE CEO Kent Rochford. “These students, pursuing their doctorates in optical science and engineering, will help contribute innovation in the field across industry, academia, and government. We are delighted to work with UNC Charlotte to create these transformative opportunities for their students.”

A Catalyst for a Rising Research Powerhouse

For UNC Charlotte, the endowment is more than just financial aid; it is a powerful endorsement of its growing prominence as a top-tier research institution. The university is on the cusp of officially securing its R1 designation from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education in 2025, placing it in the elite category of universities with "very high research activity." This status, held by only a small fraction of U.S. institutions, is a testament to UNC Charlotte's dramatic growth, with research expenditures climbing 87% since 2012 to reach $92 million in the 2022-23 fiscal year.

The Optical Science and Engineering program is a cornerstone of this research-intensive environment. The interdisciplinary PhD program, which draws on faculty from physics, engineering, and chemistry, has been ranked as high as No. 8 nationally for Optical Science. The new fund will amplify the program's capacity to attract and retain top-tier graduate talent.

“This endowment is a powerful catalyst for our growing Klein College of Science. Supporting additional doctoral students fuels the talent that will drive advances across nanophotonics, precision metrology, biomedical imaging and quantum technologies,” said Bernadette Donovan-Merkert, founding dean of the UNC Charlotte Klein College of Science. “The investment from SPIE strengthens our momentum, expands our capacity and energizes our entire Optical Science and Engineering program. We are thrilled for what this investment sets in motion.”

A Proven Model for Global Talent Development

The partnership with UNC Charlotte marks the 14th major institutional gift from SPIE's Endowment Matching Program. Established in 2019, the program is a key pillar of the society’s mission to advance light-based science globally by increasing educational and research capacity. By matching institutional contributions up to $500,000, SPIE has catalyzed the creation of over $14 million in dedicated funds for optics and photonics education worldwide.

This strategic initiative has already borne fruit at other leading institutions. Similar $1 million endowments have been established at the University of Rochester’s renowned Institute of Optics, the National University of Singapore, and Boston University’s Photonics Center. These programs have proven instrumental in supporting PhD candidates who go on to become leaders in the field. The model not only provides financial stability for students but also strengthens the global network of academic excellence in a discipline critical to future technological progress.

Bolstering Charlotte's Ascendance as a Tech Hub

The impact of the endowment extends beyond the university's laboratories and into the broader regional economy. As North Carolina’s urban research university, UNC Charlotte functions as a critical anchor institution for one of the nation's fastest-growing metropolitan areas. The university's R1 status is projected to be a major draw for high-tech industries and talent, solidifying Charlotte’s reputation as a burgeoning hub for innovation.

University leadership has noted that every dollar invested in research generates approximately five dollars in economic activity for the region. This new $1 million fund, therefore, represents a significant long-term investment in Charlotte’s economic future. By producing doctoral graduates with expertise in quantum optics, advanced materials, and biomedical imaging, the university is directly supplying the specialized workforce needed to fuel local industry growth. This synergy is a core component of the city's strategy, which includes the development of a major tech hub in the city center designed to connect university research with corporate innovation. The SPIE-funded scholars will be at the very heart of this ecosystem, translating academic discovery into real-world applications and commercial ventures that will define the region's technological landscape for decades to come.