UNC Charlotte renames Department of Physics and Optical Science for Ishwar Aggarwal

UNC Charlotte celebrated the naming of the Ishwar Aggarwal Department of Physics and Optical Science, honoring the longtime faculty member whose gift marks the first time a sitting professor has endowed an academic department at the University.

The ceremony drew campus and community leaders, faculty, students and research partners to the courtyard between Grigg Hall and Duke Centennial Hall, where Chancellor Sharon L. Gaber called the moment “a transformative milestone” for a rapidly rising research institution.

“When those who know us best — our own faculty — invest so deeply in our future, it sends a powerful message about the quality and trajectory of this institution,” Gaber said. She praised Aggarwal’s “heart for this University,” noting his enthusiasm for UNC Charlotte’s ascent to Carnegie R1 status and his belief that discovery must be matched by opportunity.

The gift from “Ish” Aggarwal and his wife Shail will support doctoral students and strengthen the department’s research capacity.

Provost Jennifer Troyer said the naming reflects both distinction and belief.

“It signals investment and sustained excellence in teaching, research and innovation,” Troyer said. “And no one believes more in the Department of Physics and Optical Science than Dr. Aggarwal.”

Troyer emphasized that attaching Aggarwal’s name to the department will help UNC Charlotte attract top faculty, expand research opportunities for students and elevate the University’s national and global visibility in STEM fields.

Founding Dean of the Klein College of Science Bernadette Donovan‑Merkert highlighted the department’s momentum, noting its 17 research labs and groups working in areas such as high‑power laser materials, nanofabrication, super‑resolution imaging and metamaterials.

“One of the brightest examples of excellence within the Klein College is our Department of Physics and Optical Science,” she said. “Today, we are fortunate to recognize a member of this community whose career embodies the innovation and service at the heart of our mission.”

Aggarwal, a pioneer in optical materials and devices, joined UNC Charlotte in 2011 after a distinguished career in industry and at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory. He holds 104 U.S. patents and more than 500 peer‑reviewed publications. At Charlotte, he built the Ultra High Energy Laser Optics program and became the University’s first professor to be named a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors.

Aggarwal delivered his remarks to a standing-room-only audience, reflecting jovially on his career and thanking the family, friends and research partners that supported him through a career spanning more than five decades.

“I can tell you in 55 years, I had fun. I never had a boring day,” said Aggarwal.

He discussed the importance of teams and how he sought groups of faculty to leverage different areas of expertise and collaborate on projects together. 

“At UNC Charlotte, I wanted to bring the ideas of teams with two or three professors working together. Everybody shared their thoughts and their inventions, openly,” Aggarwal said. “You take one invention and add another idea in science and make something where it becomes much, much better. You can take a pot and a handle, and when you put them together, it becomes a bucket.”

Aggarwal noted that his own education involved teamwork as well, sharing that he received scholarships at every level of his education. This helped shape the family’s decision to make a gift that will offer scholarships to students. 

“In our family, education was everything. So my parents and my brothers focused on education and that was my inheritance,” said Aggarwal.

Aggarwal ended his remarks with more thanks to University leaders, his teams and research partner Thomas Hutchens.

“Shail and I are thrilled to be able to give this money, and I thank all of you for your support,” Aggarwal said. 

Department Chair Glenn Boreman took to the stage and presented a commemorative gift to the Aggarwals, joined by Gaber, Troyer and Donovan-Merkert in unveiling the departmental signage, bearing the new name.

“Ish’s leadership, scholarship and relentless pursuit of innovation have elevated our department and expanded the boundaries of what is possible in optics,” Boreman said. He noted that alumni trained in the department now work in federal laboratories and major technology companies including Corning, Raytheon, Apple, Meta and Zeiss.

Boreman said the Aggarwals’ gift will continue advancing optical science for years to come.

“Naming this department in his honor recognizes not only his remarkable career, but also the legacy he continues to build through mentorship, discovery and innovation,” he said.