FiO 2026 Honorees
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FiO 2026 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 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.
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Duncan T Moore For pioneering contributions to gradient-index optics, leadership in public policy, dedicated service to the optics community, and distinguished roles in academia, government, and professional societies |
Margaret M Murnane For pioneering advances in ultrafast laser technology and XUV science, as well as exceptional service to the optics community through sustained mentorship and leadership |
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.
Tony F. Heinz
Stanford University and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, USA
For pioneering discoveries in photon science, outstanding leadership, and a deep commitment to education
Esther Hoffman Beller Medal
Established in 1993, the medal recognizes outstanding contributions to education in optical science and engineering.
Imrana Ashraf
Department of Physics, Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
For her dedication to optics education at her university and at events targeting students from economically developing countries, as well as for the organization of numerous educational and outreach events in rural areas of Pakistan
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.
George Bayz
Oakshire Partners, USA
For outstanding leadership as Optica Treasurer, including expertly guiding the organization through complex challenges with astute financial stewardship, steadfast integrity, and strategic vision, significantly strengthening Optica's mission and stability
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.
Steven DenBaars
Materials & ECE Departments, University of California Santa Barbara, USA
For pioneering contributions to high-efficiency GaN LEDs and laser diodes
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.
Tommaso Calarco
Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Germany
For key contributions in setting up a coordinated research program and for fostering international cooperation in quantum technologies
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).
Paul M. Hubel
Apple, Inc., USA
For pioneering novel image algorithms in digital camera research; for development of optimal software-firmware strategies compatible with both existing and new hardware; and for three decades of image quality improvements that make better photographs - instantly
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).
Bishnu P Pal
Ecole Centrale School of Engineering, Mahindra University, India
For several decades of pioneering contributions and passionate leadership of several photonics initiatives in India, and nurturing of their growth through education, research, and outreach
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.
Jürgen Jahns
Fernuniversität in Hagen, Germany
For seminal contributions to novel and compact architectures for optical computing systems
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.
Jens Biegert
ICFO- The Institute of Photonic Sciences and ICREA, Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies, Spain
For pioneering the optical tools that unlock the soft-X-ray regime to transform how physics, chemistry, and quantum materials are explored through mid-IR-driven high-harmonic spectroscopy and element-specific attosecond measurements
David Richardson Medal
Established in 1966 to honor David Richardson’s unique contributions to applied optics. It recognizes those who have made significant contributions to optical engineering, primarily in the commercial and industrial sector.
William Cassarly
Keysight Technologies, USA
For a lifetime dedication to optical engineering with a substantial positive impact on the illumination optics industry
Edgar D. Tillyer Award
Established in 1953 to honor of Edgar D. Tillyer’s important contributions to the advancement of better vision and the optical sciences. It is presented to an individual who has performed distinguished work in the field of vision, including (but not limited to) the optics, physiology, anatomy or psychology of the visual system.
Eero Simoncelli
Flatiron Institute and New York University, USA
For fundamental discoveries and development of important mathematical tools in the areas of visual perception, visual neuroscience, computer vision, and image processing
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.
Jennifer Mayfield
Optica, USA
For her sustained role as one of the most innovative forces in the organization, and for her ingenuity and execution in managing the Optica Publishing Group platform and the Express journals team, reflecting her enterprising and ethical approach, and her exceptional ability to serve as a bridge between the Publishing and IT teams
2026 Fellows
Recognizing Optica members who have served with distinction in the advancement of optics and photonics through distinguished contributions to education, research, engineering, business leadership and society. View a complete list of 2026 Fellows.
Kaan Akşit
University College London, United Kingdom
For his pioneering achievements in the development of advanced 3D display systems and novel perceptually guided computer graphics techniques
Hsueh-Shih Chen
National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan
For contributions to the development and commercialization of quantum dot materials, color conversion films of display backlighting, and electroluminescent panels
Pai-Yen Chen
University of Illinois Chicago, United States
For outstanding contributions to plasmonics in 2D materials and photonic metamaterials for nonlinear nanophotonics, light manipulation, and sensing applications
Mini Das
University of Houston, United States
For pioneering contributions to low-coherence X-ray phase retrieval, imaging system development, spectral X-ray computed tomography, and image perception
Lu FANG
Tsinghua University, China
For contributions to plenoptic imaging and integrated photonic neural computing
Rajan Jha
Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar, India
For pioneering contributions to fiber photonics devices through development of fiber interferometers, micro-nano structures, plasmonics systems, and advancing sensing technology
Sanathana Konugolu Venkata Sekar
Tyndall National Institute, Ireland
For pioneering equitable biophotonics technologies, advancing optical health monitoring, driving global biophotonics standardization, and demonstrating impactful leadership in biophotonics entrepreneurship
Xingjie Ni
Pennsylvania State University, United States
For pioneering contributions to the areas of metasurfaces and nanophotonics
Naveen Nishchal
Indian Institute of Technology Patna, India
For pioneering contributions in information optics and holography, including optical cryptography and structured light
Aaswath P. Raman
University of California Los Angeles, United States
For pioneering contributions to radiative cooling and thermal photonics
Jacquiline Romero
University of Queensland, Australia
For her seminal contributions to quantum structured light and her pioneering role in promoting quantum science in the Philippines
Ravindra Sinha
Delhi Technological University, India
For outstanding leadership roles in spreading optics and photonics education and significant research contributions in photonic crystal and metamaterial-based devices
Chuanshan Tian
Fudan University, China
For his transformative advancements in nonlinear spectroscopy and THz science, revolutionizing interfacial dynamics in complex materials
Alfred U'Ren
Instituto de Ciencias Nucleares (UNAM), Mexico
For foundational contributions to spontaneous parametric down conversion, spontaneous four-wave mixing, applications of quantum optics, and outstanding service and leadership
Yanhong Xiao
Fudan University, China
For outstanding contributions to the development of quantum optics tools and quantum-enhanced sensors based on large ensembles of thermal atoms
Xiaoke Yi
University of Sydney, Australia
For outstanding and sustained contributions in microwave photonic signal processing and sensing
Yang Yue
Xi'an Jiaotong University, China
For pioneering contributions to optical orbital angular momentum communications and technology innovations in coherent pluggable optics
Jimin Zhao
Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
For groundbreaking innovation in high-pressure ultrafast spectroscopy and seminal contributions to the understanding of ultrafast light interaction with quantum materials
