Celebrating the remarkable career of Professor Melanie Campbell
By Brenda Lee
Associate Professor Teaching Stream
The Department of Physics and Astronomy is celebrating the career of Professor Melanie Campbell, who retired from her faculty position in the fall of 2024. Campbell is a pioneer in visual optics, a champion for equity, and an inspiring mentor who has shaped the fields of physics, optometry and biomedical imaging, while breaking barriers for women in STEM.
Over the course of her career, Campbell redefined what was possible for women in science. Among her many achievements, she was the first female graduate student in Applied Mathematics at the Australian National University (ANU), the first female CSIRO Fellow, and the first woman to hold full professorships in Physics and Astronomy and Optometry and Vision Science at the University of Waterloo.
Campbell’s research career began with a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) University Research Fellowship, which was a rare and prestigious honour. Her groundbreaking work in visual optics and imaging included the first real-time images of cone photoreceptors in the human eye and the development of polarization imaging techniques to identify biomarkers, also in the eye, of Alzheimer’s and other brain diseases. This technology was recognized by the Alzheimer’s Association as an inexpensive, non-invasive option that could reach underserved populations.
Campbell’s work bridged fundamental science and real-world applications. She explored the optical quality of the human eye, investigated the crystalline lens and its changes with aging, and discovered putative optical signals guiding eye growth. Her efforts in nonlinear optics and imaging opened new doors for understanding eye disease and development, influencing both science and medicine.
Campbell was awarded the Rank Prize in Optoelectronics in 2004 for her contributions to imaging applications with demonstrable benefits to humanity. She was later honoured with the CAP INO Medal for Outstanding Achievement in Applied Photonics and the OCUFA Status of Women Award of Distinction for her tireless advocacy for equity in academia. Campbell is a Fellow of Optica, ARVO and the Canadian Association of Physicists.
Campbell’s commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion was evident throughout her career. She worked tirelessly to improve conditions for women and underrepresented groups in STEM, initiating programs like the Climate for Women in Physics site visit in 2016, serving as a faculty advisor to FemPhys, a student-led EDI group, and negotiating for parental leave for spouses of Waterloo faculty on behalf of FAUW. Her efforts to foster inclusivity earned her widespread admiration from colleagues and students alike.
As an educator and mentor, Campbell inspired many students to pursue their passions in science. Her approachable nature and unwavering dedication to student success created an environment where students thrived academically and personally. Many of her students have gone on to distinguished careers in research, industry and academia, carrying forward her legacy.
Retirement marks the end of Campbell’s formal academic role, but not her work. She will continue her research at Waterloo while working to commercialize her discoveries. Her vision and dedication have left a lasting mark on the department and the university, and we wish her the very best in this next chapter of her journey.
A heartfelt thanks
Students were invited to share their reflections and messages of gratitude for Campbell on the occasion of her recent retirement.
Melanie has been a great teacher and mentor for young female physicists. I remember walking into my first optics class and being amazed at the type of research she was doing at our university. I learned a lot from her.
Professor Campbell’s guidance and encouragement shaped my career in ways I could never have imagined. Her passion for science and equity inspired me to pursue my dreams.
Dr. Campbell has been a strong advocate for FemPhys since the very beginning. She has helped us through difficult situations where members of our community did not have a voice.
