Simon Kaplan's research interests include spectrophotometry and radiometry. He has worked on the characterization of optical materials and components in support of UV photolithography and infrared remote sensing applications. Currently he is the project leader for the Low background infrared (LBIR) facility for absolute detector-based irradiance and radiance calibrations in support of missile defense.
He was awarded a NIST Bronze Medal in 2013 for contributions to the calibration accuracy of NOAA infrared environmental satellites.