Imaging Science Seminar: EO/IR Sensors and Sensor Processing

Imaging Science Seminar
EO/IR Sensors and Sensor Processing

Dr. Ben Conley
Program Officer
Electro-Optic/Infrared Sensors and Sensor Processing program
Office of Naval Research (ONR)

You may attend this lecture in person at 1275 Carlson Building or virtually via Zoom.
If you’d like to attend virtually, you may register here for Zoom link.

The EO/IR Sensors and Sensor Processing program at the Office of Naval Research has the objective of developing high-performance, low-cost, next generation electro-optic sensors, devices and autonomous processing to provide real-time detection, tracking, classification, and identification of air, sea-surface, and ground targets in all weather conditions. The many uses for this technology by the Navy and Marine Corps, research areas, and research questions will be discussed.

Abstract:
The Office of Naval Research manages and funds basic and applied science and advanced technology development through the use of grants and contracts with an array of partners in academia, industry, and government in the United States and around the world. One of the many research and technology areas within ONR is the Electro-Optic/Infrared (EO/IR) Sensors and Sensors Processing program. The EO/IR Sensors and Sensor Processing program has the objective of developing high-performance, low-cost, next generation electro-optic sensors, devices and autonomous processing to provide real-time detection, tracking, classification, and identification of air, sea-surface, and ground targets in all weather conditions. The many uses for this technology by the Navy and Marine Corps, research areas, and research questions will be discussed.

Speaker Bio:
Dr. Ben Conley serves as the Program Officer over the Electro-Optic/Infrared Sensors and Sensor Processing program at the Office of Naval Research (ONR). The EO/IR Sensors and Sensor Processing program has the objective of developing high-performance, low-cost, next generation electro-optic sensors, devices and autonomous processing to provide real-time detection, tracking, classification, and identification of air, sea-surface, and ground targets in all weather conditions. The primary interest is for systems working in the visible and infrared (near, short-wave, mid-wave and long-wave) regions of the electromagnetic spectrum; however, passive millimeter wave systems may also be of interest due to their superior atmospheric transmission properties in degraded visual environments. Before pursuing his scientific career, he served in the US Marine Corps infantry; deploying once to Iraq in 2007. Upon completion of his USMC service, he received his B.S. degree in Physics from Arkansas Tech University in 2010. He earned his M.S. in MicroElectronics in 2011 and PhD in 2014, both from University of Arkansas. While at University of Arkansas he worked in the area of thin film deposition systems for group IV alloys (i.e. Ge, Si, Sn), infrared detector designs, and microfabrication techniques for Si CMOS photonics and Si compatible opto-electronics. While in grad school he was awarded an NSF Fellowship and the DoD Science, Mathematics, and Research Transformation (SMART) Fellowship. After graduation he joined the Electro-Optics Technology Division at the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC-Crane) as staff scientist where he conducted research in novel detector architectures for Naval EOIR imaging systems. He later became the Chief Scientist for the Electro-Optics Technology Division at NSWC Crane where he provided S&T guidance on Navy and Marine Corps programs for a variety of systems, including sensors, imaging devices, lasers, and emitter programs from visible through infrared. In 2020, he joined ONR as a Program Officer within the Information, Cyber and Spectrum Superiority Department (Code 31) as the Program Officer of the EO/IR program.

Intended Audience:
Beginners, undergraduates, graduates, and experts. Those with interest in the topic.