Gisele Bennett ’87 ’89MS has built a career that blends academic excellence, industry collaboration, and research achievement – a journey that began at the same time CREOL was launching as an institution. 

As one of the first graduates who worked in the then-called “Center for Research in Electro-Optics and Lasers”, Bennett’s studies on modeling atmospheric turbulence at UCF laid the foundation for her continued success.  

Bennett is a founding and managing member of MEPSS LLC, which supports first responders and DoD initiatives globally. Her positions in academia have fostered decades-long connections to applied research: 

Georgia Institute of Technology (1992-2018) 

• Regents’ Researcher, University System of Georgia 

• Associate Vice President for Research, Faculty Integration 

• Adjunct Professor, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering 

Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) (1992-2018) 

• Glenn Robinson Chair in Electro-Optics 

• Founder and Director, Logistics and Maintenance Applied Research Center 

• Director, Electro-Optical Systems Laboratory 

At GTRI, Bennett’s leadership grew the research portfolio to $50 million a year, funding projects to develop optical imaging systems, EO modeling and simulation, LIDAR, Active-EO Systems, and IoT sensor systems. 

Florida Institute of Technology (2018-2020) 

• Senior Vice President, Strategic and Research Initiatives 

• Senior Vice President for Research 

• Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering 

Bennett is the 2026 Optica President and recently finished her term as Editor-in-Chief for Applied Optics. She is on the Board of Trustees for Riverside Research Institute and on the Georgia Tech Research & Economic Development Advisory Board. She served on the Army Science Board, is Past President of the IEEE Council on RFID, is a visiting lecturer and Fellow of SPIE and Optica, serves on Optica’s Strategic Planning Council, and is an elected member of the Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine of Florida (ASEMFL). Bennett has authored more than 130 publications, holds patents, and has been awarded the Army Superior Civilian Service Medal and the Army Commander’s Award for Public Service, the second highest award of the Department of the Army. 

Bennett is also an instrument-rated single engine-land private pilot. As CREOL recognizes her achievements, we connected with her to reflect on her time at UCF. 

Q: What was it like to be part of the early collaboration as CREOL found its footing? 

A: I worked with Prof. Ron Phillips and Prof. Larry Andrews. It was a great time and I felt like we were part of a startup in CREOL.     

Q: You have deep experience with managing extensive research portfolios. In your view, how important is collaboration with industry to advance the field? 

A: I have been fortunate to work closely with industry throughout my career. The collaborative experience, where students contribute to projects that evolve into products, is incredibly rewarding and gives companies valuable exposure to their future workforce. 

Q: How did your time at UCF/CREOL shape the way you think, lead, or solve problems today? 

I don’t know where to begin. The quality of the faculty and broad research areas was valuable. Just as important and priceless are the colleagues I met during my time at CREOL who I still keep in touch with. Being close to the space coast and seeing the growth of optics in the region gave me perspective on the importance of research in meeting industry demands.    

Q: Any advice for today’s students? 

I was fortunate to have advisors who emphasized the importance of getting involved in professional societies and who were great mentors. I strongly advise students to get involved with one or more professional societies and to seek advice from mentors as appropriate. 

Read more about Gisele Bennett here.