Oswald Leroy

Oswald Jozef Leroy (16 May 1936 – 7 September 2022) was a Belgian mathematician known for his contributions to theoretical acousto-optics.

[citation needed] Since then, acousto-optic devices have been used in telecommunication and military applications.

[14] Leroy received his PhD from Ghent University in the group of Robert A. Mertens[15] for his thesis entitled Diffraction of light by ultrasound.

New developments in laser physics formed the ground for collaborations between the team of Leroy and different other laboratories.

In 1991 Leroy was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Gdansk, for his contributions to theoretical acousto-optics and to celebrate a collaboration with the team of Antoni Sliwinski [pl] at the Institute of Physics of the University of Gdansk.

Oswald Leroy Doctor Honoris Causa University Gdansk 1991. From middle to right: Oswald Leroy, Antoni Sliwiski (University of Gdansk)
Team of PhD researchers of Oswald Leroy between 1972 and 2001; Picture made on the occasion of Oswald Leroy’s retirement in 2001. We can see Oswald Leroy with the main entrance of the Catholic University of Leuven Campus Kortrijk (KULAK) in the background as well as some mathematical formulas that have played a role in Leroy’s long career in acousto-optics. In addition a picture is shown, taken in 2001, of each member of his team.