Anthony J. DeMaria (born October 30, 1931 in Italy) is an American researcher in lasers and their applications, particularly known for his work with picosecond laser pulses. DeMaria received his Ph.D. in engineering physics from the University of Connecticut in1956, and worked from 1960 to 1994 at the United Technologies Corporation Research Center, performing research in acousto-optics application to lasers, passive Q-switching and mode-locking of glass lasers, fast flow and wave-guide RF excited CO2 lasers, CO2 laser radar systems, and fiber-optics sensors, ultimately serving as Assistant Director of Research 1985-1994. In 1994 he founded DeMaria ElectroOptics Systems, which was sold in 2001 to Coherent, Inc., of which he is currently Chief Scientist. He is also a professor in residence