This research opportunity focuses on the fundamental nature of partially coherent optical beams interacting and propagating in nonlinear media such as air and water.  This research will sit at the intersection of nonlinear optics and statistical optics. Topics include experimental and theoretical problems in optical self-focusing, modulation instabilities, and frequency generation.  Experimental approaches include building a coherence function generator and wave statistics diagnostics. Theory will be advanced with ensemble simulations of the nonlinear Schrodinger equation using in-house codes. By understanding the interplay of nonlinear effects with field fluctuations and correlations we will mitigate randomness and develop new modes of optical beam control.