The University of North Carolina at Charlotte has renamed its Department of Physics and Optical Science in honor of longtime faculty member Ishwar Aggarwal. This follows a gift from Aggarwal and his wife, Shail, which will support doctoral students and strengthen the department’s research capacity, including scholarships for students.

The university said the naming marks the first time a sitting professor has endowed an academic department at UNC Charlotte. Aggarwal, whose career has spanned more than five decades, credited teamwork and collaboration for many of his professional achievements. He said his family’s emphasis on education and the scholarships he received throughout his own education influenced the decision to support students through the family’s gift. Aggarwal joined UNC Charlotte in 2011 after a career in industry and at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory. At the university, he established the Ultra High Energy Laser Optics program. He was also the university’s first professor to be named a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors.

A pioneer in optical materials and devices, Aggarwal has 104 U.S. patents and more than 500 peer-reviewed publications.