FiO 2022 Honorees

Optica is proud to recognize the outstanding achievements of our community.

Please join us in congratulating the Honorary Members, Award/Medal winners and Fellows being recognized during FiO.

 

Optica Honorary Members

The most distinguished of all Optica Member categories, Honorary Membership is awarded for unique, seminal contributions to the field of optics, and is confirmed by the Awards Council and Optica Board of Directors.

Alain Aspect
Institut d’Optique Graduate School / Université Paris-Saclay, France

For illuminating fundamental aspects of the quantum-mechanical behavior of single photons, photon pairs and atoms and transforming our understanding of the quantum world.

Joseph H Eberly
Institute of Optics, University of Rochester, USA

For pioneering contributions to the foundations of quantum optics theory, his dedicated service to the optics community, and his visionary leadership in promoting international cooperation in optics research.

 

Frederic Ives Medal/Jarus W. Quinn Prize

The Ives Medal/Quinn Prize recognizes overall distinction in optics and is Optica’s highest award. It was endowed by charter member Herbert Ives, in honor of his father, photography pioneer Frederic Ives. A subsequent endowment in honor of long-time Executive Director Jarus Quinn funds the prize.

James C. Wyant
University of Arizona, College of Optical Sciences, USA

For pioneering contributions in advancing the science and technology of quantitative interferometric metrology, his leadership as an educator and entrepreneur, and his visionary service to the global optics and photonics community.

 

Esther Hoffman Beller Medal

Established in 1993, the medal recognizes outstanding contributions to education in optical science and engineering.

Julie Bentley
University of Rochester, USA

For her central role in shaping the optics education of countless undergraduate and graduate students.
 

Max Born Award

Established in 1982 to honor Max Born, who made distinguished contributions to physics in general and optics in particular, the medal is presented for outstanding contributions to physical optics, theoretical or experimental.

Yuri Kivshar
Australian National University, Australia

For pioneering and ground-breaking research in nonlinear metamaterials and all-dielectric resonant metaphotonics that derives unique optical functionalities from electric and magnetic dipolar and multipolar Mie-type resonances underpinning new discoveries in nonlinear and topological nanophotonics.
 

Stephen D. Fantone Distinguished Service Award

Established in 1973 and named in honor of Stephen D. Fantone in 2013, the award is presented to individuals who, over an extended period of time, have served the society in an outstanding way, especially through volunteer participation in its management, operation or planning in such ways as editorship of a periodical, organization of meetings, or other services.

Joseph A. Izatt
Duke University, USA

For over 25 years of outstanding service to the optics community and Optica in areas as diverse as publications, conferences, strategic planning, and the Optica Board of Directors.
 

Paul F. Forman Team Engineering Excellence Award

Established in 1989 and named in honor of Paul F. Forman in 2007, who, among many other accomplishments, raised the visibility of optical engineering, the award recognizes team technical achievements in optical engineering.

EnFocus Intraoperative Optical Coherence Tomography Development Team
Leica Microsystems, USA

For developing an optically brilliant, latency-free intrasurgical optical coherence tomography microscope that fully integrates into the ophthalmic surgical workflow, allowing a surgeon to see more and do more to preserve patient sight.
 

Joseph Fraunhofer Award/Robert M. Burley Prize

Established in 1982 to honor Joseph Fraunhofer for his contributions to the field of optical engineering, the prize was added in 1992 in memory of Robert M. Burley, who exemplified many of the highest attributes of the optical engineer  and was the first recipient of the Fraunhofer Award. The award recognizes significant research accomplishments in the field of optical engineering.

Aydogan Ozcan
University of California Los Angeles, USA

For seminal optical engineering contributions to computational optical imaging, lensfree microscopy, holography and mobile optical sensing.

Nick Holonyak Jr. Award

Established in 1997 to honor Nick Holonyak Jr., who has made distinguished contributions to the field of optics through the development of semiconductor based light emitting diodes and semiconductor lasers, the award honors significant contributions to optics based on semiconductor-based optical devices and materials, including basic science and technological applications.

Marshall I. Nathan
IBM TJ Watson Research Center and University of Minnesota, USA

For his pioneering work in creating GaAs diode lasers and inventive contributions to compound semiconductors and laser physics.

Robert E. Hopkins Leadership Award

Established in 1997 and named in honor of Robert E. Hopkins in 2021, the award recognizes an individual or group who has had a significant impact on the global optics and photonics community or on society as a whole stemming from non-research oriented activities.

Andrea Armani
University of Southern California, USA           

For leadership in promoting online platforms for disseminating science and educational programs, thereby reducing barriers for early career researchers and increasing mentoring opportunities worldwide.
 

Edwin Land Medal

Established in 1992 to honor Edwin H. Land for his unique career as scientist, technologist, industrialist, humanist and public servant, the medal recognizes pioneering work empowered by scientific research to create inventions, technologies, and products. It is jointly presented with the Society for Imaging Science and Technology (IS&T).

Shin-Tson Wu
University of Central Florida, USA                   

For contributions to novel displays and diffractive optics that led to commercial products and widespread applications, especially for augmented reality, virtual reality, and imaging devices.

Sang Soo Lee Award

Established in 2013 to honor Prof. Sang Soo Lee for his pioneering role in establishing optics in the Republic of Korea, the award recognizes outstanding leadership in founding or growing an optics and photonics community. It is co-presented with the Optical Society of Korea (OSK).

Andrew Forbes
University of Witwatersrand, South Africa

For advancing photonics in South Africa through strategic leadership in executing national photonics programmes, high-impact research and education, and mentorship of African researchers.
 

Emmett N. Leith Medal

Established in 2006 to honor Emmett N. Leith, a world-renowned scientist in holography and optical information processing, the medal recognizes seminal contributions to the field of optical information processing.

Min Gu
University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, China

For outstanding contributions to nanoscale optical information technology by extending the limit of optical data storage, holography and display through multi-dimensional division including optical orbital angular momentum and vectorial domains.
 

C.E.K. Mees Medal

Established in 1961 in memory of charter member C. E. K. Mees, who contributed preeminently to the development of scientific photography, the medal recognizes an original use of optics across multiple fields.

Norbert F. Scherer
University of Chicago, USA               

For seminal contributions to optical science by developing novel methods and applications in ultrafast nonlinear spectroscopy, single molecule microscopy, nanoplasmonics, optical vector beam spectroscopy, and optical trapping, optical matter and nano-machines.

Kevin P. Thompson Optical Design Innovator Award

Established in 2017 in memory of Kevin P. Thompson, who, among many other accomplishments, was known for leading breakthroughs in the understanding of the aberration fields of a new class of truly nonsymmetric optical systems using freeform optical surfaces, the award recognizes contributions to lens design, optical engineering, or metrology at an early career stage.

Heejoo Choi
University of Arizona, USA

For innovative design of a UV cross-dispersion space telescope and engineering of a laser-truss Large Binocular Telescope metrology system.

Charles Hard Townes Medal

Established in 1980 to honor Charles Hard Townes, whose pioneering contributions to masers and lasers led to the development of the field of quantum electronics, the medal is presented to an individual or a group for outstanding experimental or theoretical work, discovery or invention in the field of quantum electronics.

Girish S Agarwal
Texas A&M University, USA

For discoveries in theoretical quantum optics especially vacuum induced coherences, photon added coherent states, non-classical cat states for qubits via engineered many body interactions, and transparency in optomechanical systems for discoveries in theoretical quantum optics especially vacuum induced coherences, photon added coherent states, non-classical cat states for qubits via engineered many body interactions, and transparency in optomechanical systems.

 

Optica Treasurer's Award

Established in 2016 this award recognizes an Optica staff member who makes significant contributions to organizational excellence, promotes and enacts innovative solutions or exemplifies inspirational leadership.

Kari Apter
Optica, USA

For her service as a selfless leader and respected ambassador to Optica’s most valuable resource, its global community of volunteers and members.
 

Herbert Walther Award

Established in 2008 to honor Herbert Walther for the seminal influence of his ground-breaking innovations in quantum optics and atomic physics, and for his wide-ranging contributions to the international scientific community, the award recognizes distinguished contributions in quantum optics and atomic physics as well as leadership in the international scientific community. It is co-presented with the Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft (DPG).

Jun Ye
JILA University of Colorado Boulder, USA

For an extensive body of work in optics, including ultra-stable lasers, ultra-cold polar molecules, ultra-high resolution spectroscopy, and ultra-high accuracy optical clocks.