OPTICS AND EDUCATION

ABOUT LENA

Lena Wolfe spent four years as an optical engineer at Microsoft, working on the Kinect for Xbox One and the display subsystem for the HoloLens V1. She worked extensively on developing color perception metrics and testing for the holographic displays in the HoloLens, designed the focusing optics to reduce eye fatigue, and has a patent for ghost reduction in diffractive coupling wearable image display systems.

She has a B.S. in Optical Sciences and Engineering from the world renowned College of Optical Sciences at the University of Arizona. While studying, she was employed as an undergraduate research assistant under Russell Chipman in the Polarization Laboratory. She supported design and test analysis of the Multi-Angle Spectral Polarimetric Imager (MISPI) as partnered with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).

Lena’s areas of expertise are polarization, waveguide optics, diffractive optics, color science and colorimetry, human visual perception in augmented reality devices, nonlinear optics, rigorous coupled wave analysis (RCWA), perceptually accurate image processing, and multi-system integration optical product development. She has class 100 cleanroom experience, knowledgeable of VESA and ASNI image quality standards and testing methodology, extensive experience with precision optics mounting, handling and cleaning.
Her favorite applications of optical technologies are augmented reality, 3D depth scanning and body tracking. Contact Lena for consulting on projects involving display optics, experimental or proof-of-concept setups, off-the-self optical system specifications or optical testing metrology. Lena’s quickness in learning approaches c and she absorbs new information as well as any blackbody!

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TUTORING

Lena is an active academic tutor working in STEM education and outreach, especially focusing on girls in science and art. Want to know what makes a rainbow form? How does facial ID work in a cell phone? How to derive Maxwell’s equations in both differential and integral form? Look no further than this passionate nerd! She nurtures curiosity to encourage her students to look at creative solutions for both academic and artistic prospects.

High School Physics
- General
- AP Physics (algebra based)
- AP Physics (calculus based)
High School Math
- Geometry
- Algebra I and II
- Trigonometry
- Pre-Calculus
- Calculus AB
- Calculus BC

College Physics
- Mechanics
- Electricity and Magnetism
- Geometric Optics
- Physical Optics

College Mathematics
- Calculus I
- Calculus II
- Vector Calculus
- Differential Equations
- Linear Algebra/Matrix Mathematics
Software
- MatLab (standard and image processing toolbox)

CONTACT

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Testimonials

Our family was so lucky to find Lena. My daughter struggled with high school physics and Lena helped her to understand concepts and worked closely with her on her assignments. Five years later when my son entered high school, we were so fortunate to have Lena help him with concepts and organization of the material. She also made sure he stayed on track. Lena is a sweet person, conscientious, reliable and knowledgeable. She is an excellent educator. Her teaching will ensure success!

- Gregg & Susan Klot

Thank you for teaching a great class about Optics! I now see many things in a different way. I learned a lot about optics and I hope you are teaching more STEP classes!

- Baruch STEP Academy: Student Feedback

Dear Ms. Wolfe,
Thank you so much for a great program. My daughter, Elysee, had a great time. She learned a lot and enjoyed every part of it.

- Maria (Parent, Baruch STEP Academy)

I returned to school, as an older student (much older) to finally obtain my college degree at Seattle University. One requirement was science: in my case astronomy, which required some math, physics and an understanding of lab reports and function. Thanks to Lena’s patient, clear and skilled tutelage, I was able to pass the course with a surprisingly good grade. I could not have done it without her help. Lena was a perfect guide: always making sure that I, myself, was doing the learning and work, while she patiently took every step to see that I was prepared and confident. She also proved to be adaptable, creative and supportive. Lena was always prepared and organized and made any change as challenges arose. Despite her own obvious brilliance in her field, Lena never condescended or was disrespectful, and was supremely professional. I am proud of my college degree and a small piece of it belongs to Lena.

- Adam Miller, Seattle University