Melanie Campbell

Professor

Portrait of Melanie Campbell
Melanie Campbell is a professor in the Department of Physics and is cross-appointed to the School of Optometry, and to the Department of System Design Engineering. Melanie carries out research on optical properties of the eye, optical systems and eye-imaging systems for treatment and diagnosis. Some applications of her research include two-photon therapy, Alzheimer's diagnosis and diabetic retinopathy.

Contact Information

Office: Phys 353

Phone: 519-888-4567, ext. 36273

Email: mcampbel@uwaterloo.ca

Website: Campbell Labs

Lab: Phys 315, ext. 35401

Biography

Melanie C. W. Campbell is currently a professor in the Department of Physics, University of Waterloo and is cross-appointed to the School of Optometry and to the Department of Systems Design Engineering. She obtained a B.Sc. degree in Chemical Physics from the University of Toronto and an M.Sc. degree in Physics from the University of Waterloo. An interest in the optical properties of the eye led to a Ph.D. from the Australian National University awarded jointly by the John Curtin School for Medical Research and the Research School of Physical Sciences.

After 2 years as a postdoctoral fellow at CSIRO in Australia, a University Research Fellowship from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada enabled Professor Campbell to join the University of Waterloo. She currently pursues research in optics of the eye, accommodation, presbyopia, ophthalmic corrections and ophthalmic diagnostic instruments. Her current research interests include defining the quality of the optical image formed on the retina; studying the optical properties of the crystalline lens and eye during development and in the older eye and integrating adaptive optics and polarization methods into instruments which image the rear of the eye. Her basic research led to improved quality of clinical images of the fundus of the eye. The Waterloo confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope that was developed by Professor Campbell's group gave the first live images of the cones of the human eye.

Professor Campbell is a Fellow of the Optical Society of America and received the 2004 Rank Prize in Optoelectronics for studies of the gradient of refractive index in the crystalline lens.

Education

Ph.D. at the Institute of Advanced Studies, Australian National University in the department Applied Mathematics, Research School of Physical Sciences and Physiology John Curtin School of Medical Research in 1982.

M.Sc. at the University of Waterloo in the Department of Physics in 1977.

B.Sc. at Victoria College, University of Toronto in the department of Chemical Physics in 1975.

Theses

Campbell, M.C.W. (1982). Gradient refractive index optics and image quality in the rat eye. Ph.D. thesis. Australian National University.

Campbell, M.C.W. (1977). Far infrared and Raman spectra of poly crystalline sulphur dioxide. M.Sc. thesis. University of Waterloo

Publications

Dr. Campbell's publications can be viewed on the publications page.

Employment

2019 Department of Systems Design Engineering, University of Waterloo - Professor (cross-appointment)

2012 Member Centre for Bioengineering and Biotechnology, University of Waterloo

2010 Member, Waterloo Institute of Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo

2008 Professional Physicist, Canadian Association of Physicists

2006 Lifetime Fellow, Institute of Physics, UK

2003 Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Waterloo - Professor

2003 School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Waterloo - Professor (cross-appointment)

2003 School of Optometry, University of Waterloo - Professor

2000 NSF Center for Adaptive Optics - Member

2000 Guelph-Waterloo Physics Institute - Member

2000 Lifetime Fellow, Optical Society of America

1996-2002 School of Optometry, University of Waterloo - Professor

1996-2002 Department of Physics, University of Waterloo - Professor (cross-appointment)

1990-1996 School of Optometry, University of Waterloo - Associate Professor

1990-1996 Department of Physics, University of Waterloo - Associate Professor (cross-appointment)

1990-2000 Guelph Waterloo Program for Graduate Work Member in Physics, University of Waterloo

1991 Center for Visual Sciences, University of Rochester - Visiting Research Fellow

1989-1990 School of Optometry, University of Waterloo - Assistant Professor

1984-1989 School of Optometry, University of Waterloo - Research Assistant Professor

1982-1984 Department of Mathematics and Statistics, CSIRO Scientist Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Australia

1982-1984 Department of Applied Mathematics, Research School of Physical Sciences and Department of Physiology, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University - Visiting Fellow

Honours

2019 Laird Lecturer

2015 Women of Distinction Award, Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations

2014 CAP-INO Medal for Outstanding Achievement in Applied Photonics

2013 Clair Bobier Distinguished Lecturer

2004 Rank Prize in Optoelectronics, awarded by The Minister of Science and Innovation, UK Lord Sainsbury on behalf of the Rank Prize Funds, London, England

Extra-Curricular

Organizer and Panel Chair, Celebratory Waterloo-Rochester Photonics Symposium, Conference, 2019.

Faculty Advisor and member, Organising Committee, The 6th Women in Physics in Canada Conference 2017, Conference, 2017.

Local Organizing Committee Member, International Union for Pure and Applied Physics, International Conference for Women in Physics, Conference, 2014.

Canadian Association of Physics Faculty Advisor and Organising Committee member, Canadian American Mexican 2013 Physics Graduate Student Conference, Conference, 2013.

Member, Organising Committee and Biophotonics theme co-chair, OPTO-Canada, SPIE Conference, Ottawa, 2002.

Session Chair, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, (ARVO), May, 2002.

Session Co-Chair, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, (ARVO), May, 2001.

Ontario Photonics Education and Training Association (OPETA), Founding member.

Chair, Educational Outreach Committee, Southwestern Ontario Section, Optical Society of America, 2001, 2002.

Member, Editorial Advisory Board, Handbook of Visual Optics, Optical Society of America, 1998-00.

Member, Committee on Trained Personnel, Photonics Research Ontario, 1996-99.

Vice-President, President and Past-President, Southwestern Ontario Section, Optical Society of America, 1994-97.

Chair, Advisory Committee, Vision Science and Its Applications, Optical Society of America Topical Meeting, 1994; Member, 1995-96.

Member, Visual Sciences Study Section B, National Institutes of Health, Washington, 1992-95.

Member, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Scholarships and Fellowships Committee, 1989-1992, 1992-1995.

Standards Council of Canada ISO/TC172/SC7, Committee Member, 1990-95.

Member, Program Committees, Frontiers in Information Optics and Optics within Life Sciences, International Commission for Optics Topical Meetings, 1994.

Member, Program Committee, Gradient Index Optical Systems, Optical Society of America Topical Meeting, 1994.

Vice Chair and Chair, Visual Sciences Section, American Academy of Optometry, 1990-94.

Optical Society of America Topical Meeting on Ophthalmic and Visual Optics, Member, Program Committee, Santa Fe, 1991; Program Chair, 1992; General Chair, 1993.

Ad Hoc Referee, Visual Sciences Study Section B, National Institutes of Health, 1991-1992.

Australian representative, International Commission for Optics, 1984.