I am pleased to introduce Prof. Svetlana Avramov-Zamurovic as the newest JOSA A topical editor. She joins us to cover atmospheric and underwater optics, overlapping in coverage with Yangjian Cai and in anticipation of the exit of Rich Holmes from our editorial team. Rich has served for nearly six years and will reach the end of his second and final term soon. His service to the Journal has been extraordinary. Atmospheric optics at JOSA A has blossomed under Rich, so much so that we will have two editors covering the area after his departure. I’d like to thank Rich for his years of excellent service and look forward to seeing his papers coming into our Journal in the years to come.

Svetlana has had a fascinating and varied research career covering areas from ultraprecise voltage metrology to her current work in atmospheric and undersea optical propagation. Her journey through science and engineering is mirrored by her physical journey from Serbia to Maryland. Her broad perspective on optics and the world will be a great asset to JOSA A. I am personally inspired by her take on science. Svetlana writes, “I do research because science captivates me. I presented my first research results on controlling agricultural process when I was a college junior and to this day I feel the wonder of the unknown.” I am thrilled to welcome Svetlana to the JOSA A team.

Svetlana Avramov-Zamurovic

Atmospheric and Underwater Optics

Svetlana Avramov-Zamurovic is currently a professor at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis in the Weapons, Robotics, and Control Engineering Department. She received her undergraduate and master’s degrees in electrical engineering, focusing on electronic devices, communication systems, and metrology, at the University of Novi Sad, Serbia, in 1986 and 1990, respectively. She received a Ph.D. in electrophysics from the Electrical Engineering Department at University of Maryland, USA, in 1994. From 1990 to 1994, she was involved in developing a voltage ratio bridge for the NASA Zeno experiment, which flew in space on board the Shuttle in 1994, and on the follow-up mission in 1997. Since 1990, she has been a Guest Researcher with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), in the Quantum Measurement Division in Gaithersburg, MD, USA. Her work at NIST involves the development of impedance measuring techniques, voltage and capacitance standards, and the design of displacement sensors utilizing nanotechnology. She is currently a professor at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, teaching at the Weapons, Robotics, and Control Engineering Department, where her most recent studies concentrate on laser propagation in real maritime environments. She conducts experimental work on improving beam quality when propagating through complex media, including near maritime atmosphere and underwater. She has mentored more than 60 midshipmen and future naval officers in conducting laser applications projects and taught them the fundamentals of laser light interactions with matter.