Sarah Sharif

Dr. Sarah Sharif is an Assistant Professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Oklahoma. She leads the QNET laboratories, focusing on quantum devices, nanophotonics, and optical systems. Her research spans AMO engineering for next-generation communication and sensing, as well as mid-infrared nanomaterial innovations.

Dr. Sharif holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Louisiana State University (LSU), with minors in Physics and a graduate certificate in Materials Science. Her postdoctoral work at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign explored quantum light-matter interactions. She has over a decade of industrial R&D experience and contributed to LIGO’s gravitational wave research (2018–2020).

Professional memberships include APS, OSA, Optica, and IEEE. She is the new Optica leader for Quantum Optical Science & Technology (2023). Her lab’s mission emphasizes diversity in STEM, fostering inclusive innovation in quantum and photonic technologies.

Current research includes quantum convolutional neural networks (QCNNs), aerosol scattering mitigation in free-space optics, and mid-IR nanophotonic optimization. Active collaborations with industry and academia drive applied projects in neuromorphic computing, UAV systems, and smart manufacturing.