2023 R. W. Wood Prize Winner

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Optica Names Alexandra Boltasseva the 2023 R.W. Wood Prize Recipient

Optica (formerly OSA), Advancing Optics and Photonics Worldwide, is pleased to announce that Alexandra Boltasseva, Purdue University, USA, has been selected as the 2023 recipient of the R.W. Wood Prize. Boltasseva is honored for groundbreaking contributions to the materials aspects of metamaterials, plasmonics, and nanophotonics.

Boltasseva received her Ph.D. in electrical engineering at Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Denmark. She is currently a Ron and Dotty Garvin Tonjes Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering with courtesy appointment in Materials Engineering at Purdue University.

She specializes in nanophotonics, quantum photonics, nanofabrication, and optical materials. She served on MRS Board of Directors and on Optica’s Board of Editors and Publications Council. She is a past Editor-in-Chief for Optical Materials Express journal.

She has also received several honors including the IEEE Photonics Society Young Investigator Award, the Materials Research Society (MRS) Outstanding Young Investigator Award, and was a Blavatnik National Award for Young Scientists Finalist. She is a Guggenheim Fellow and Fellow of Optica, IEEE, the National Academy of Inventors, MRS, and SPIE.

Established in 1975, the Wood Prize recognizes an outstanding discovery, scientific or technical achievement or invention in the field of optics. The accomplishment is measured chiefly by its impact on the field of optics and is one that opens a new era of research or significantly expands an established one. It honors the many contributions that R.W. Wood made to optics, and is endowed by Xerox Corp.

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