Jason Eichenholz ’95MS ’98PhD received the 2012 Professional Achievement Award for the College of Optics and Photonics at UCF’s Alumni Association’s annual Black & Gold Gala on November 1, 2012. He also received the College’s Distinguished Alumni Award and was honored at the Banquet of the CREOL@25 Symposium on March 15, 2012. Eichenholz, who now holds a Courtesy Faculty appointment in the College of Optics and Photonics, is being recognized for his photonics research, his successful product development and commercialization of photonics technology, and his commitment to promoting innovation programs in the area of optical sensing and spectroscopy. Upon graduating from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a BS degree in Physics, Eichenholz came to UCF where he received graduate degrees in optics. He went on to industry and served a dual role as the CTO of Ocean Optics and as the Divisional Technology Director for Halma’s Health Optics and Photonics Divisions. He developed miniature spectrometers that revolutionized the way data and measurements were obtained. Eichenholz is now CEO and a founder of Open Photonics, a crowd sourcing and Open Innovation company designed to accelerate the adoption of optics and photonics technology.