Mark F. Spencer

Dr. Mark F. Spencer is a Senior Physicist at the Air Force Research Laboratory, Directed Energy Directorate (AFRL/RD), and an Adjunct Associate Professor of Optical Sciences and Engineering at the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) within the Department of Engineering Physics. He also serves as the Directed Energy Staff Specialist at the US Indo-Pacific Command, a role he pioneered as the first-ever liaison from AFRL/RD.

• PhD, Optical Sciences and Engineering, Air Force Institute of Technology, 2014
• MS, Optical Sciences and Engineering, AFIT, 2011
• BS, Physics, University of Redlands, 2008

Dr. Spencer’s research focuses on optical sciences, engineering physics, and directed energy systems. His work addresses challenges in laser propagation, wavefront sensing, and compensation for atmospheric turbulence and thermal blooming effects. He has developed innovative methods in digital holography, speckle mitigation, and adaptive optics to enhance imaging through turbulent media.

His 15 most recent journal articles (2021–2020) explore applications of digital holography, turbulence compensation, and phase reconstruction techniques. Keywords include Optical Sciences, Physics, and Engineering, with sub-fields like Deep Turbulence, Speckle Mitigation, and Machine Learning for Laser Systems.

Dr. Spencer has received numerous scientific awards, including:

• SPIE Fellow Member (2021)
• AFRL Early Career Award (2020)
• Optica Senior Member (2020)
• SPIE Community Champion (2019–2020)
• US Air Force Scientific Advisory Board Best Presentation (2019)

He has advised PhD, Master’s, and undergraduate students on topics such as turbulence compensation, digital holography, and thermal blooming effects. His professional memberships include the Directed Energy Professional Society (DEPS), SPIE, and Optica, and he has contributed to outreach initiatives like the Laser Propagation Demonstration and STEM-based programs.