Education

Master of Science, Applied Physics
    Georgia Institute of Technology    1993

Bachelor of Science, Physics
    Georgia Institute of Technology    1992


Employment History

Georgia Institute of Technology, Electro-Optical Systems Laboratory
    Senior Research Scientist    2006-Present
    Research Scientist II    2002-2006
    Research Scientist I    1997-2002

U.S. Precision Lens
    Optical Engineer    1994-1997

Georgia Institute of Technology, Electro-Optics, Environment and Materials Laboratory
    Graduate Research Assistant    1994

Schools of Physics and Psychology
    Graduate Research Assistant    1992-1994

Georgia Institute of Technology, Signature Technology Laboratory
    Co-op Student    1988-1991


Experience Summary

At GTRI, Mr. Wood develops research programs in areas of biotechnology and assistive technology.  He also supports sponsored research projects through opto-mechanical design as well as instrument design, construction and testing.  Project areas include technology for vision enhancement, the design of assistive technology for individuals with disabilities, design of medical instrumentation, and atmospheric remote sensing.

While at US Precision Lens, Inc., Mr. Wood provided engineering support to the high-volume manufacture of projection television lenses.  The lenses were hybrid glass and plastic assemblies in either metal or plastic housings. Mr. Wood had input in the following areas: new product design, component quality, assembly procedures, product inspection, and material supplier issues.


Current Fields of Interest

General optical system design; optical biotechnology; assistive technology for hearing impairment, low vision and other conditions; medical imaging; vision diagnostics; vision enhancement.


Major Reports and Publications

1. Gimmestad, G.G., D.W. Roberts, J.M. Stewart, J.W. Wood, “Development of a LIDAR system for Range Profiles of Turbulence,” Annual ITEA Technology Review, Cambridge, MA, 7-10 August 2006.

2. Gimmestad, G.G., D.W. Roberts, J.M. Stewart, J.W. Wood, Dawsey, M. W., and Eaton, F .D.,  “A new type of lidar for atmospheric optical turbulence,” 23rd International Laser Radar Conference, pp. 81-84, Nara, Japan, 2006.

3. Gimmestad, G.G., D.W. Roberts, J.M. Stewart, J.W. Wood, Dawsey, M. W., and Eaton, F .D., “LIDAR system for monitoring turbulence profiles,” Proc. SPIE 6267, 2006.

4. M. W. Dawsey, Gimmestad, G.G., D. W. Roberts, J. T. McGraw, P. Zimmer, and J. A. Fitch, “LIDAR for measuring atmospheric extinction,” Proc. SPIE 6270, 2006.

5. West, L.L., Gimmestad, G., Bowling, A., Roberts, D., Stewart, J., and Wood, J., “Atmospheric Laser Radar as an Undergraduate Educational Experience,” American Journal of Physics, 2006.

6. Draper, D.A., G.G. Gimmestad, D.W. Roberts, J.M. Stewart, L.L. West, J.W. Wood, and A.L. Bowling, “Polarization Capabilities Added to Undergraduate Eye-safe Atmospheric Lidar,” Optics in the Southeast, Oct. 6, 2005.

7. Wood, J.W., “Interdisciplinary Research at Georgia Tech in Human Vision: Rehabilitation, Diagnostics, and Treatment,” 2005 Developments in Vision Enhancement Technology and Their Evaluation Conference, Morgantown, WV, June 4, 2005.

8. Sonenblum, S.E., Sprigle, S., West, L.L., Wood, J.W., Prabhakara, S., “Non-Invasive Erythema Detection Using Spectral Imaging,” (accepted as poster session) Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America Conference, Atlanta, GA, June 2005.

9. Draper, D.A., G.G. Gimmestad, D.W. Roberts, J.M. Stewart, L.L. West, J.W. Wood, and A.L. Bowling, “EARL: An Undergraduate Atmospheric Research Lidar,” Optics in the Southeast, Nov. 4-5, 2004.

10. Belen’kii, M.S., Gillespie, P.S., Gimmestad, G.G., Hughes, K. Rye, V., D.W. Roberts, J.M. Stewart, and J.W. Wood, “Target Edge Response,” Conference 5550, Free Space Laser Communications IV, SPIE Optical Science and Technology, 2-6 August 2004, Denver, CO.

11. Gimmestad, G.G., D.W. Roberts, J.M. Stewart, L.L. West, J.W. Wood, and A.L. Bowling, “A Simple and Rugged Micropulse Lidar,” 22nd International Laser Radar Conference, July 12-16, 2004, Matera, Italy. Edited by Gelsomina Pappalardo and Aldo Amodeo. ESA SP-561. Paris: European Space Agency, 2004, p.163

12. "The Communication Assistant, Captioning and Community Venues," Australian Rehabilitation & Assistive Technology Association Conference, June 2004.

13. "The Communication Assistant, Captioning in Community Venues," CSUN Conference: Technology and Persons with Disabilities, 15-20 March 2004.

14. Belen’kii, M.S., Gimmestad, G.G., D.W. Roberts, J.M. Stewart, and J.W. Wood, “Tilt Anisoplanatism with Discrete and Extended Sources,” Free Space Laser Communications III, SPIE Optical Science and Technology, August 2003, Denver, CO.

15. Gimmestad, G. G., D.W. Roberts, J.M. Stewart, L.L. West, and J.W. Wood, “NEXLASER An Unattended Tropospheric Ozone and Aerosol Lidar First Results”, IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, Toulouse, France, 21-25 July 2003.

16. Stewart, J.M., G.G. Gimmestad, P. Haugen, D.W. Roberts, L.L. West, and J.W. Wood, “System Verification of an Unattended DIAL LIDAR,” Proc. SPIE 5086, 189-196, 2003. 

17. Wood, J.W., Gimmestad, G.G., D.W. Roberts, “Covert Camera for the Screening of Vehicle Interiors and HOV Lane Enforcement,” SPIE Sensors, and Command, Control, Communications, and Intelligence Technologies for Homeland Defense and Law Enforcement II (Aerosense), April 24, 2003.

18. Roberts, David, Gary Gimmestad, John Stewart, Leanne West, and Jack Wood, “NEXLASER – The Next Generation Laser Air Sensor for the Southeastern Region,” SPIE Optics in the Southeast, October 23-24, 2002.

19. Mercer, A. J., A. L. Bowling, D.W. Roberts, G. G. Gimmestad, J. M. Stewart, L.L. West, and J. W. Wood, “Program for Undergraduate Research in Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) in the Metro-Atlanta Area,” Optics in the Southeast, October 24, 2002.

20. “NEXLASER – An Unattended Tropospheric Aerosol and Ozone LIDAR,” SPIE Aerosense - Aerospace/Defense Sensing, Simulation, and Controls Proceedings, April 2002.

21. “Eyesafe LIDAR as an Undergraduate Research Experience,” SPIE Aerosense - Aerospace/Defense Sensing, Simulation, and Controls Proceedings, April 2002.

22. "A Next-Generation Ground-Based Sensor for Tropospheric Ozone," IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium Proceedings, July 2001


Software Experience

Zemax Optical Design software
AutoCAD mechanical drawing software
SolidWorks mechanical drawing software


Registrations, Professional Affiliations and Special Honors

International Society for Low Vision Research
Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America
Georgia Biomedical Partnership