Joseph W. Goodman Book Writing Award

The Joseph W. Goodman Book Writing Award is a biennial award funded by J.W. and H.M. Goodman. The award recognizes authorship of an outstanding book in the field of optics and photonics, published in the last six years, that has contributed significantly to research, teaching, or the optics and photonics industry. This award is co-sponsored by SPIE and OPTICA.

Current Recipient


Paul McManamon

Exiting Technology LLC
University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio, United States

The 2022 Joseph W. Goodman Book Writing Award is presented to Paul McManamon, Exciting Technology LLC and University of Dayton, Ohio, USA, in recognition of his publication, LiDAR Technologies and Systems, published in 2019 by SPIE.

Past Recipients


2020 - Irving J. Bigio and Sergio Fantini, Quantitative Biomedical Optics: Theory, Methods, and Applications
2018 - Michael T. Eismann, Hyperspectral Remote Sensing
2016 - Valery Tuchin, Tissue Optics: Light Scattering Methods and Instruments for Medical Diagnosis, 3rd ed.
2014 - Wenshan Cai and Vladimir M. Shalaev, Optical Metamaterials: Fundamentals and Applications

2012 - R. Barry Johnson, Lens Design Fundamentals, Second Edition
2010 - Lihong V. Wang and Hsin-I Wu, Biomedical Optics: Principles and Imaging
2008 - Emil Wolf, Introduction to the Theory of Coherence and Polarization of Light
2006 - Harrison H. Barrett and Kyle J. Myers, Foundations of Image Science

Nomination Process


Any member of the optics and photonics community may nominate a book meeting the eligibility requirements. Direct nominations from publishers are discouraged. Nominations must include the following:

  • A 300- to 500-word narrative describing how the nominated book has "contributed significantly to research, to teaching, or to the optics and photonics industry." The description should attempt to describe why the book is exceptional within its scientific field and genre. Its overall impact within optics and photonics should also be described.
  • A short biographical note on the person making the nomination, including name, institutional affiliation, and job title

Specific Stipulations & Criteria 

  • Eligible books must have been first published (first edition or first revised edition) no more than six years prior to 1 January of the year of the award; 1 January of the book copyright year will be assumed as the date of first publication
  • Only authored books are eligible, including books with more than one principal author. Edited compilations, handbooks, reviews, etc., with multiple contributing authors will not be considered.
  • Textbooks, research monographs, scientific or technical reviews, or any other book type or genre that covers its subject in depth are eligible
  • Books from any publisher worldwide are eligible
  • Book must be currently in print and readily available from the publisher and suppliers
  • Only books in the English language will be considered
  • A full bibliographic citation for the nominated book, including full title, full name(s) of author(s), publisher, and date of publication

Nominations may be mailed or emailed to one of the following addresses:

Goodman Book Writing Award Nomination
SPIE
P.O. Box 10 Bellingham, WA 98225 USA
awards@spie.org

Goodman Book Writing Award Nomination
OPTICA
2010 Massachusetts Ave NW
Washington, DC 20036-1023 USA
awards@optica.org