2023 Nick Holonyak, Jr. Award Winner

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Optica Names Yeshaiahu Fainman the 2023 Nick Holonyak Jr Award Recipient

Optica (formerly OSA), Advancing Optics and Photonics Worldwide, is pleased to announce that Yeshaiahu Fainman, University of California San Diego, USA, has been selected as the 2023 recipient of the Nick Holonyak Jr Award. Fainman is honored for pioneering contributions to nanoscale science and engineering of ultra-small, sub-micrometer semiconductor light emitters and nanolasers for information processing systems applications.

Fainman received his Master’s degree and Ph.D. from Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Israel. He is currently an inaugural ASML/Cymer Chair Professor of Advanced Optical Technologies and Distinguished Professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD).

He directs the research of the Ultrafast and Nanoscale Optics group at UCSD and made significant contributions to near field optical phenomena, nanoscale science and engineering of ultra-small, sub-micrometer semiconductor light emitters and nanolasers, inhomogeneous and meta-materials, nanophotonics and plasmonics, and non-conventional imaging. His current research interests are in near field optical science and technology with applications to information technologies and biomedical sensing. He contributed over 340 manuscripts in peer review journals and over 560 conference presentations and conference proceedings.

Fainman is a Fellow of Optica IEEE, and SPIE. He is also a recipient of the Emmett N. Leith Medal, Joseph Fraunhofer Award/Robert M. Burley Prize, Miriam and Aharon Gutvirt Prize, Lady Davis Fellowship, Brown Award for Quantum Computing, and Dennis Gabor Award.

Established in 1997, the Holonyak Jr. Award recognizes significant contributions to optics based on semiconductor-based optical devices and materials, including basic science and technological applications. It honors Nick Holonyak Jr.’s distinguished contributions to the field of optics through the development of semiconductor-based light-emitting diodes and semiconductor lasers. The award is endowed by SDL Ventures, LLC, and Donald and Carol Scifres.

About Optica

Optica (formerly OSA), Advancing Optics and Photonics Worldwide, is the society dedicated to promoting the generation, application, archiving and dissemination of knowledge in the field. Founded in 1916, it is the leading organization for scientists, engineers, business professionals, students and others interested in the science of light. Optica's renowned publications, meetings, online resources and in-person activities fuel discoveries, shape real-life applications and accelerate scientific, technical and educational achievement. Discover more at: Optica.org