I am a transdisciplinary optimist interested in quantifying, exploring, and understanding light wave and object interactions through a combination of hardware and software, with a focus on computational 3D (or complex wave field, or 2D-time domain) / 4D (space-time domain) optical imaging and display. I achieve this by incorporating computing into acquisition / processing pipelines, either genetically by new hardware and designs, or computationally by advanced algorithms, or both.

To this end, I develop general tools that enable us to solve fundamental issues in optical imaging, span four different yet connected aspects in a progressive strategy: (i) Fundamental theory behind the physical phenomenon; (ii) Forward system modeling (Digital Twin) that establishes a numerical relationship between the theoretical formulations and optical measurements; (iii) Computational inverse solving of the forward model to estimate object internal states from optical measurements; and (iv) Interdisciplinary applications based on the pipeline.

My goal is to bridge the gap between computing and physical systems, aiming to transcend the limitations of both optical systems and computational algorithms. This endeavor encompasses several key aspects, including:

• Exploring differentiable imaging techniques: Developing uncertain-aware, co-designed and reconfigurable computational optical imaging systems.

• Pushing the boundaries of existing imaging modalities: Advancing technologies such as holography, light field imaging, coherent diffraction imaging, ptychography, and microscopy to capture 3D and 4D scenes. This includes exploring the compactness of systems and the physical and computational limitations of imaging.

• Innovating in displays: Exploring novel approaches such as light field displays, holographic displays, and holographic optical elements (HOE) for 3D displays, and developing computational devices for display applications.