Maria S. Millan

Maria S. Millan - 2008 SPIE Women in Optics Planner

Associate Professor Department of Optics and Optometry
Technical University of Catalonia

Country of origin: Spain

What I do.
As a university professor, I spend most of my time in activities of research and education. I teach in the School of Optics and Optometry and participate in the BSc, MSc, and PhD programs. In my research group, I try to obtain results for both scientific progress and applications for industry or medicine.

What I find exciting.
I love my work with PhD students right from the beginning, from when they join the group, until dissertation day. I enjoy sharing ideas with them as well as their first results and their first papers. I also like studying other authors' contributions and exploring my own ideas, finding applications that meet industrial needs, and doing all this work with my colleagues.

What I wish someone had told me.
Watch for doctoral scholarship opportunities, and find a mentor who will support and encourage you.