In the world of precision optics, few names are as recognizable as that of James Burge. His contributions to optical metrology technologies and large-scale mirror fabrication represent only a fraction of an enormous collection of accomplishments that have shaped modern optical engineering and astronomy. Currently the president of Arizona Optical Metrology (AOM) and professor emeritus at the University of Arizona’s Wyant College of Optical Sciences, Burge’s technical know-how and curiosity for all things metrology have permeated his career. The technical capabilities he and his teams have developed are deep and diverse, ranging from enabling some of the largest telescope projects on Earth, to building a metrology company to commercialize the capabilities developed during his academic career. For example, his contributions and inventions to mirror lab metrology systems enabled the fabrication of the seven 8.4-meter primary mirror segments of the 25-meter f/0.7 Giant Magellan Telescope, the Large Binocular Telescope, and other massive astronomical instrumentation projects, while his work on the Software Configurable Optical Test System (SCOTS), and the swing arm profilometer, first with touch probe and then optical probe, enabled metrology of meter-class aspheric mirrors with interferometric accuracy, while also providing in situ measurements with the polishing machinery. Burge’s drive for common-sense approaches to difficult problems resulted in the development of working groups that have mentored generations of optics professionals in the practical aspects of optics metrology and fabrication. Today, in his role at AOM, a company he co-founded to bring the benefits of Computer-Generated Hologram (CGH) metrology to broader industries that leverage precision optics, he leads the development of novel approaches to metrology for the latest optical challenges.
Burge, an SPIE Fellow Member, has published over 180 proceedings and papers with SPIE. In addition, with Katie Schwertz, he co-authored SPIE Press’ Field Guide to Optomechanical Design and Analysis, a comprehensive reference work designed for practicing optical and mechanical engineers. He has also contributed to SPIE's educational mission through his mentorship of graduate students at the University of Arizona, many of whom have become active Society Members.
“I have had the privilege of knowing and working with Jim since he joined the Optical Sciences Center at the University of Arizona in the late 1980s, and I can attest to his exceptional contributions to the field of optical metrology over the past four decades,” says Optical Perspectives Group CEO Robert Parks. “Jim’s work is widely recognized on a professional level to have had a profound and lasting impact on the field, and his career is a testament to the power of innovation, mentorship, and dedication to the advancement of optical metrology.”
Meet the other 2026 SPIE Society Award winners.
Read more about the SPIE Chandra S. Vikram Award in Optical Metrology.
