Corning received special recognition through Dr. Jue Wang, senior development associate, who was recently inducted as an SPIE Fellow. This distinction honors individual scientific and technical contributions across the optics, photonics, and imaging fields. Read more here. 

 The sun has barely risen over Corning’s Advanced Optics plant in Fairport, New York, and Dr. Jue Wang, senior development associate, is on the manufacturing floor collaborating with the engineering and manufacturing teams. A customer has a unique optics challenge, and together, they’re working to provide a solution.

“In Fairport, we are integrated in advanced optics development, division engineering and manufacturing,” Jue says. “That teamwork is what helps us solve problems for not just our customers, but across the company.”

We live in a smart and connected world powered by billions of microchips found in everything from cars to household appliances. If you’ve used any of these devices, you’ve used a product that was most likely manufactured or inspected using optics and systems made by our Advanced Optics team at Fairport. In fact, the solutions developed by our Fairport team help enable the entire semiconductor industry, which helps the world move faster and stay more connected.  

Raising the bar on what’s possible 

As part of Corning’s development group, Jue explores and researches new optical technologies and capabilities that help manufacture the chips we need for millions of devices around the world, from cars to computers.

He is amazed by the interaction of light and matter, especially when engaged with a laser. It’s that curiosity that has led Jue to earn more than 30 issued patents and author more than 100 research publications, all at Corning. SPIE, an international society for optics and photonics, also recently inducted Jue as a Fellow for his significant scientific and technical contributions to the world.  

“Laser optics is the business I’ve been involved in from the very beginning, and I also see the impact daily,” Jue says. “What I love about my job is that I’m still learning – as we face new challenges every day.”

“It makes me proud to think that we enable the world – for example, I feel a sense of pride knowing that smartphones used every day are enabled in part by our optics.”  

From theoretical to real life  

Before joining Corning in 2000, Jue was a full professor of physics at Tongji University in Shanghai, China. His tenure there sparked his passion in research and helping others.

He came to Corning to help take theory and research to practice. In fact, Jue frequently hops aboard the Rochester-to-Corning shuttle to meet with our research teams at the Sullivan Park campus.

“My experience at Fairport and the interaction with Sullivan Park team helps me connect industry challenge with new technology from across the company and develop a deeper understanding of how we can build a better product – Corning is uniquely able to do that,” Jue says.  

Giving back to the next generation 

Visit the Fairport lab on Wednesdays and you will find a student from Monroe Community College working under Jue’s guidance. As part of the Technician Pipeline Program (TPP), students complete four semesters of full-time study and work a few hours a week at a Corning location. Since 2008, more than 37 TPP participants have become full-time technicians.  

“It is rewarding for me to see my students’ progress and to help challenge them to take on more responsibility,” Jue said. “As they become Corning full-time employees, we keep in touch.” 

The TPP was introduced in 2008 to optimize the scientist-to-technician ratio in Corning’s Technology Community and increase the number of under-represented minorities and women in technician roles by establishing a comprehensive, fully customized talent pipeline. 

Together with a TTP student Collin Oakes in the lab

Helping the Rochester community 

In the early 2000s, when Jue and his family traveled from China to the Rochester region, which included his then-7-year-old daughter.

“We asked, ‘How do we keep our daughter learning the Chinese language and culture?’ We became active members of the Chinese School of Rochester (CSR), a nonprofit dedicated to teaching Chinese,” Jue says. “In the process of serving and leading the school for almost 20 years, we also helped people who may not otherwise have the opportunity to learn Chinese as second-language.”  

Jue credits Corning’s culture of community engagement, including the Matching Gift and the Dollars for Doners programs. The Corning Foundation has provided philanthropic and financial support to the organization. “The CSR was awarded $1000 by Corning Foundation when I was the recipient of Excellence in Volunteerism in 2019,” he added.

 How does Jue find time in his busy schedule for work, play, and volunteering? Corning World asked Jue for his top productivity tips:   

1. Innovation takes focus.  
   “I try to remind myself to not multitask. I silence the notifications on my iPhone and email to help my focus. One downside is that sometimes my wife will call, and I won’t notice.”   
   
   
   
2. Be engaged.   
   “I am trying to reach out and expand my connections to our new team members in Fairport, work with different projects and work groups. The rapport and the interactions will help us learn from one another.”  
   
   
   
3. Be passionate.  
   “We are encouraged to do what we enjoy doing both at work and in our personal lives. There are so many ways to give back and doing so will help us be productive in our job. For me, I also enjoy walking and hiking while thinking of how to frame my next technical report.”