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UA Engineering Design Day Sponsor Establishes Optics Scholarship

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UA Engineering Design Day Sponsor Establishes Optics Scholarship

July 12, 2013
UA Engineering Design Day Sponsor Establishes Optics Scholarship

Seventy years ago, amateur photographer Norman Edmund founded a mail-order company providing optical devices called the Edmund Salvage Co., which later became known as Edmund Scientific.

Norman Edmund (1916-2012)

Within a decade, the small optical surplus company was the go-to source for telescopes, microscopes, science toys and gadgets of every description. Today, the company, now called Edmund Optics, is regarded as a leading producer of optics, coatings, imaging systems and photonics equipment.

He is credited with inspiring countless young minds to become interested in science, engineering and astronomy through his thought-provoking catalog of optics, scientific experiments, and learning tools.

“My father’s life’s work was fueled by a passion for discovery and learning made possible through the use of optical instruments,” said Robert Edmund, CEO of Edmund Optics. “It is only appropriate that a scholarship in his name be made available to those who also delight in the rewards of exploration.”

Robert Edmund has chosen to honor his father’s memory with a generous gift to the University of Arizona College of Optical Sciences, establishing the Norman W. Edmund Merit Scholarship in Optical Sciences. This permanent endowment will support undergraduate students who intend to pursue careers in optics.

The robotic fish team poses with its award-winning robot fish at the 2013 UA Engineering Design Day. In addition to winning the Best Overall Design award, the team also won the $750 Blunder Education Prize sponsored by Edmund Optics.

“The Norman W. Edmund Merit Scholarship accelerates the mission of the College of Optical Sciences -- and the University of Arizona -- by advancing the educational opportunities of our students,” said Thomas L. Koch, dean of the College of Optical Sciences. “While the quality of our academic and research programs is the key factor in recruiting talented students, the availability of scholarships helps secure their enrollment.”

Edmund Optics sponsored the $750 Blunder Education Prize at the 2013 UA College of Engineering Design Day. The oddly named prize recognizes the fact that mistakes, errors and blunders are key elements of engineering design, and represent great opportunities to learn. Such blunders often lead to designs that would otherwise be impossible to conceive.

The 2013 award went to the robotic fish team, who designed a user-controlled remotely operated underwater vehicle that looked like a fish. The team’s hope is that visitors to aquariums around the world can use joysticks to guide the robotic fish in underwater environments as they learn about aquatic habitats through the eyes of the fish via high-definition streaming video. The team, sponsored by MediaMation Inc., consisted of Charles Leichner, Clayton Stewart, Yi-Chieh Chen, Hannah Grant, Mohamed Khairy, and Robbie Laity.