Sanjee Abeytunge, Ph.D.

Sanjee Abeytunge, Ph.D has a strong background in optical engineering and research with expertise in developing and testing advanced optical systems. Sanjee currently works at Psionic Technologies as an Optical Engineer V, where they lead a team in developing and assembling LiDAR telescope components for the space environment. Sanjee is also responsible for designing and building optical setups for space-based and terrestrial telescopes.

Prior to their current role, Sanjee worked as a Senior Optical Engineer at QinetiQ US, where they collaborated with an interdisciplinary team on DOD-sponsored programs. Sanjee conducted tests on warfighter head and body mounted multi-sensor systems and performed data analysis. Additionally, they designed and built a single-pixel calibration optical setup and conducted root cause analysis for a large-scale DOD-funded program. Sanjee possesses specialized knowledge in broad-band mirror coatings.

Sanjee also has experience as an Optical Engineer at The Rockefeller University and Imperial College London. While at The Rockefeller University, they designed and built a light-sheet microscope and instrumentation setup. Their work at Imperial College London involved their Ph.D. research on developing a photonic-force applicator for a hair-cell biosensor, focusing on delivering precise and uniform forces to measure the deflection of hair bundles.

Earlier in their career, Sanjee worked at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center as an Engineering Specialist, where they designed optic and electronic systems for cancer imaging. Sanjee played a key role in the development of a rapid pathology system that produced real-time detailed images of human tissue specimens during surgery. Sanjee also gained experience as an Engineering Specialist at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Institute - Research Engineering Laboratory, where they focused on the design and development of specialized optical and imaging systems.

Before their time at Memorial Sloan-Kettering, Sanjee worked at Brookhaven National Laboratory as an Operations Coordinator for high-energy particle accelerators. In this role, they coordinated operations for particle accelerators and managed support systems. Sanjee also completed their MSc in Physics/Instrumentation Thesis Work at the laboratory, where they developed a simulated hardware system and data streaming pipeline for a silicon vertex tracker used in particle collision experiments.

Sanjee Abeytunge, Ph.D. pursued higher education in various institutions. From 2014 to 2020, they attended Imperial College London and received a Doctor of Philosophy - Ph.D. degree in the field of study called "Development of laser photonics for hearing sensor stimulation." Prior to that, from 2002 to 2005, they attended Stony Brook University, where they earned a M.Sc degree in Physics with an emphasis on instrumentation for particle detectors. Their undergraduate studies were completed at Baylor University, although the specific years are unknown. At Baylor University, they obtained a B.Sc degree in Physics, and their undergraduate thesis focused on "Low-energy electron diffraction."