Scaling thermal imaging: from innovation to commercialization (Keynote Presentation)

William Parrish is an entrepreneur and technologist who has spent his career turning advanced infrared technology into practical, affordable tools used around the world. After earning his Ph.D. at UCSB in 1976, he worked in aerospace before founding multiple successful companies, Amber Engineering (1981), Indigo Systems (1992), and Seek Thermal (2012) that have transformed commercial thermal imaging. As Co-Founder and CTO of Seek Thermal, Bill leads innovation that has dramatically reduced the cost of thermal imaging—enabling entirely new applications in safety, energy, industry, and everyday life. His work has been recognized with numerous national technology and leadership awards. Across five decades, Bill Parrish has helped take infrared technology from aerospace laboratories to everyday use—and his work continues to redefine what’s possible when powerful sensing tools are made affordable, scalable, and widely accessible.