Graham Trevor Reed wins 2026 John Tyndall Award.
About Optica
08 December 2025
Graham Trevor Reed wins 2026 John Tyndall Award.
WASHINGTON — Optica, Advancing Optics and Photonics Worldwide, and the IEEE Photonics Society have named Professor Graham Trevor Reed, University of Southampton, UK the 2026 John Tyndall Award recipient. Reed is recognized for ground-breaking contributions to silicon photonics, notably through pioneering research, advocacy, and the establishment of a widely accessible foundry platform.
“Graham Reed has been a leader in the field of silicon photonics since its inception, literally writing the book on the subject in 2004,” said James Kafka, Optica 2025 President. “His innovations have benefited everything from communications and healthcare to environmental monitoring, advanced computing, and security.”
Perry Shum, IEEE Photonics Society President added, "Professor Reed is a trusted advisor and a dedicated volunteer and mentor. His work has shaped the international silicon photonics community, particularly through his efforts to bridge academia and industry – driving technology forward.”
The award, one of the top honors in the fiber optics community, is named for John Tyndall, a 19th-century scientist who was the first to demonstrate the phenomenon of total internal reflection. It recognizes an individual who has made pioneering, highly significant, or continuing technical or leadership contributions to fiber optic technology.
Corning Incorporated, one of the world’s leading innovators in glass, ceramic, and materials science, sponsors the award as part of its commitment to fiber optic technology innovation. The award consists of a specially commissioned glass sculpture, a scroll, and an honorarium. Optica, IEEE Photonics Society, and Corning will jointly present the award at this year’s Optical Fiber Communication Conference and Exhibition, the world's premier event for optical communications and networking professionals. The conference will take place from 15 – 19 March in Los Angeles, California, USA.
Reed is Professor of Silicon Photonics and Director of the Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC) at the University of Southampton. Previously, he was Professor of Optoelectronics and Chair of the Department of Electronic Engineering at the University of Surrey, UK. He has also been a consultant to numerous companies in the field of silicon photonics, including Intel, USA, Bookham Technology, UK, Kotura, USA, Rockley Photonics, UK & USA, Optic2Connect, Singapore, and CompoundTek, Singapore.
Reed is one of the earliest pioneers in the field of silicon photonics. He established the Silicon Photonics Research Group at the University of Surrey, which has remained at the forefront of the field for over 35 years. He is the founder of the UK Silicon Photonics Foundry, CORNERSTONE, and the silicon photonics LiDAR company, Pointcloud, with operations in the USA and Switzerland. He is also leading several European research programs.
Reed’s group produced the first published design of an optical modulator with a bandwidth exceeding 1 GHz, proposed the pre-emphasis method of driving silicon modulators, and published the first design of a depletion-mode optical modulator, which is now the industry standard device. In 2011, the team was responsible for the first all-silicon optical modulator operating at 40Gb/s with a high extinction ratio (10dB), as well as a second modulator design (also operating at 40Gb/s) that operates close to polarization independence. The team also reported the first device operating at 50Gb/s. Recently, they have been pioneering Mid Infra-Red Silicon Photonics, mid-index photonics platforms, programmable photonics, and computing applications of silicon photonics, and, in 2020, reported an integrated silicon modulator-driver combination operating at 100Gbps OOK without digital signal processing (DSP). In 2024, the team reported a 308Gb/s MZI-based modulator integrated with an electronic driver, and, in 2020, reported a similar 200Gbd device, suggesting a 400Gb/s all-silicon solution without the need for energy-hungry DSP may be within reach.
He has published almost 700 journal and conference papers in the field of silicon photonics and is a frequent invited and contributing author at major conferences around the world, including 192 invited/keynote/plenary talks. Reed is the lead author of the first silicon photonics textbook, Silicon Photonics: An Introduction, published in 2004.
A Fellow of Optica, American Physical Society, European Optical Society, Royal Academy of Engineering, Royal Society and SPIE, he has received several awards, including the Institution of Engineering and Technology Crompton Medal for Achievement in Energy, Royal Society Wolfson Merit Award, SPIE Gold Medal, and the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Sir Frank Whittle Medal.
About IEEE Photonics Society
As a vital part of IEEE, the world’s largest technical professional association dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity, we engage in photonics research, development, design, and manufacturing. The IEEE Photonics Society forms the hub of a vibrant technical community of more than 100,000 professionals dedicated to transforming breakthroughs in quantum physics into the devices, systems and products to revolutionize our daily lives. By organizing, contributing to, and participating in technical conferences, and journal publications, the society provides our members with professional growth opportunities while supporting local chapters and student activities around the world. Learn more at https://ieeephotonics.org/
About Corning Incorporated
Corning Incorporated is one of the world's leading innovators in materials science, with a 170-year track record of life-changing inventions. Corning applies its unparalleled expertise in glass science, ceramic science, and optical physics along with its deep manufacturing and engineering capabilities to develop category-defining products that transform industries and enhance people's lives. Corning succeeds through sustained investment in RD&E, a unique combination of material and process innovation, and deep, trust-based relationships with customers who are global leaders in their industries. Corning's capabilities are versatile and synergistic, which allows the company to evolve to meet changing market needs, while also helping our customers capture new opportunities in dynamic industries. Today, Corning's markets include optical communications, mobile consumer electronics, display, automotive, solar, semiconductors, and life sciences. Learn more at www.corning.com
About Optica
Optica, 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
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