NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC)
21000 Brookpark Rd.
Cleveland, Ohio 44135-3191
(216) 433-2006
email: Susan.Y.Wrbanek@nasa.gov

I am a member of the Optical Instrumentation and NDE Branch of the Instrumentation and Controls Division at NASA Glenn Research Center. I have been with NASA since 2000. I have been involved with adapting optical techniques for optical micromanipulation and microfabrication, and the miniaturization of optical components for flight instrumentation and radiation detection.

My primary area of research is in the development of optical trapping techniques for aerospace applications. Currently I am developing optical trapping techniques in air, vacuum and liquid environments as an aid to the development and fabrication of new micro and nano-scale flight instrumentation. Additionally I perform research in the areas of optical instrumentation for energy harvesting and optical property measurement of sonoluminescence and radiation detector development.

Prior to coming to NASA I worked in areas where I gained a wide variety of experience in optical, particle, atomic and molecular physics. I have also taught introductory astronomy and physics principles at the university level.

• "Neural network for image-to-image control of optical tweezers," Arthur J. Decker, Robert C. Anderson, Kenneth E. Weiland, Susan Y. Wrbanek Optical Trapping and Micromanipulation Proceedings of SPIE 2004 Annual Meeting, Denver, CO, Vol. 5514, p. 150
• "Optical Levitation of Microscale Particles in Air," Susan Y. Wrbanek, Kenneth E. Weiland NASA/TM-2004-212889 Jan. 2004
• "Optical Levitation of Microscale Particles in Air as a Precursor to Optical Trapping in a Vacuum Environment," Susan Y. Wrbanek. Presentation to Great Lakes Photonics Symposium, Cleveland OH, June 2004.
• "Absorption Coefficient of Buried-Si in Quartz Between 200 and 1000 nm," G.C. Farlow, S. Wrbanek (Wright State University) 1999 Fall Meeting Ohio Section American Physical Society
• "UV/VIS/NIR Absorption Studies of Silicon Ion-Implanted Quartz," M. S. Thesis in physics, Wright State University, Dayton, OH 45435 1998
• "UV/VIS/NIR Optical Absorption of a Si-implanted Layer in Quartz ," S.Y. Wrbanek, G.C. Farlow, 1997 presentation to APS Ohio Section Spring Meeting, Bowling Green, Ohio, May 2-3 1997.

NASA Disclosure of Invention and New Technology, LEW 17865-1, "Plasma Flow Actuator Utilizing a Single Serrated Electrode" - Gustave C. Fralick, Susan Y. Wrbanek, John D. Wrbanek

• SPIE The International Society for Optical Engineering
• APS The American Physical Society