BY NICOLE DUDENHOEFER ’17 hen Peter Delfyett first fell in love with science during elementary school, he imagined he would grow up to be a paleontologist. Instead, the Pegasus Professor of optics and photonics has spent his career developing futuristic technology. From lasers that are used to cut Gorilla Glass for Samsung phones to fiber optic cable technology that allows the internet to operate more efficiently, Delfyett’s work has been making waves for more than three decades. And now he’s received one of the highest honors in the scientific community as one of 106 engineers elected to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) this year. “Professor Delfyett, through his amazing work, has proven that he is one of the very best laser and photonics researchers in the world,” UCF President Alexander N. Cartwright says. “This recognition honors his many contributions to society throughout his career and his leadership that has helped develop UCF’s culture of innovation and discovery.”
Established in 1964, the NAE’s network of more than 2,300 members work together to advance the United States’ global reputation by providing guidance to policymakers and government institutions on decisions related to engineering and technology. UCF has eight faculty members who are a part of the NAE, but Delfyett has the honor of being the first to be elected while a current faculty member at the university. Delfyett’s induction, which will take place during NAE’s annual meeting in October, means other current UCF faculty could be joining this rank in the near future. “This is very special to me, not only because it is the highest honor that can be bestowed on a scientist or engineer, but because all of the work that is being
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