OFC 2026 Awards Ceremony
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OFC 2026 Awards Ceremony
Optica is proud to recognize the outstanding achievements of our community.
Join us in congratulating the following award winners and Fellows who will be recognized during OFC 2026. Our thanks to Corning Incorporated for supporting the Awards Ceremony and Luncheon.
Presented annually, the award is given to an individual who has made outstanding contributions to optical-fiber technology that have met the test of time and are of proven benefit to science, technology, or society. Established in 1987, the award honors the memory of John Tyndall, who made distinguished contributions to physics. It is jointly presented by the IEEE Photonics Society and Optica and is funded by Corning Incorporated.
Graham Trevor Reed
University of Southampton, UK
For ground-breaking contributions to silicon photonics, notably through pioneering research, advocacy and the establishment of a widely accessible foundry platform.
Recognizing Optica members who have served with distinction in the advancement of optics and photonics through distinguished contributions to research, business, education, engineering, and service to Optica. View a complete list of 2026 Fellows.
Yusheng Bian
GlobalFoundries, United States
For transformative contributions to silicon photonics, including innovations that underpin high-volume manufacturing on a scalable CMOS-silicon photonics platform
Guo-En Chang
National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taiwan
For technical innovation and seminal work in Si photonics, particularly his pioneering contributions in SiGeSn materials and photonic devices
Lian-Kuan Chen
The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
For outstanding advances to the research of optical wireless communications for indoor, underwater, and water-air channels
Chih Wei Chu
Research Center for Applied Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taiwan
For advancing scalable, eco-friendly materials and device innovations enabling high-performance flexible photonic and electronic technologies
Guilhem de Valicourt
Ciena Corporation, United States
For substantial contributions to the development and commercialization of integrated-optics communication devices
Lu FAN
Tsinghua University, China
For contributions to plenoptic imaging and integrated photonic neural computing
Mable Fok
University of Georgia, United States
For seminal contributions to the adaptive and flexible use of fiber optics for soft material sensing and bioinspired microwave photonic systems
Nicholas Harris
Lightmatter, United States
For transformative advances in programmable photonic integrated circuits and pioneering photonic AI acceleration technologies at the intersection of optics and machine learning
Robert Herrick
Robert Herrick Consulting, United States
For advances in the reliability and failure analysis of semiconductor lasers and optoelectronics
Rongqing Hui
University of Kansas, United States
For outstanding and sustained contributions to the research and development of optical communication systems, devices, and optical measurement techniques
Santosh Kumar
Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation, India
For pioneering contributions to optical fiber-based plasmonics biosensors (WaveFlex Biosensors) for clinical applications
Andrew Lord
BT Research and Networks Strategy, United Kingdom
For sustained contributions, innovative research, and professional service to the field
Ruben S. Luis
National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Japan
For groundbreaking contributions to high-capacity fiber-optic transmission systems
Raul Muñoz
Centre Tecnològic de Telecomunicacions de Catalunya (CTTC), Spain
For pioneering contributions to the efficient orchestration of optical networking technologies
Ampalavanapilla Nirmalathas
University of Melbourne, Australia
For pioneering contributions to the design and demonstration of high-speed indoor optical wireless networks and enabling photonic technologies
Xiaodan Pang
Zhejiang University, China
For seminal contributions to optical communications in free-space and optical fiber, and dedicated service to the optics and photonics community
Francesca Parmigiani
Microsoft Research Cambridge, United Kingdom
For her pioneering contributions to the field of high-speed optical communications and optical signal processing
Alexander Payne
Silicon Light Machines Inc., United States
For extraordinary contributions to the development of high speed, high optical power handling, MEMS spatial light modulators
David Piehler
Dell Technologies, United States
For profound technical contributions and leadership in optical access network technologies and their successful widespread commercialization
Francesco Poletti
University of Southampton and Microsoft Azure Fiber & AI, United Kingdom
For fundamental contributions to the advancement of hollow core fiber technology from design to fabrication
Aaswath P. Raman
University of California Los Angeles, United States
For pioneering contributions to radiative cooling and thermal photonics
Xiaoke Yi
University of Sydney, Australia
For outstanding and sustained contributions in microwave photonic signal processing and sensing
Qunbi Zhuge
Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
For exceptional contributions to the research and development of high-capacity optical communication systems and intelligent optical networks
