Optica Foundation awards US1 Million to advance optics research
About Optica
10 October 2023
Optica Foundation awards 1 million US dollars to advance optics research
2023 Challenge recipients to solve critical environmental, health and information problems
Today, 10 October, the Optica Foundation announced its 2023 Optica Foundation Challenge awardees during the opening plenary session at Optica’s Frontiers in Optics/Laser Science Conference.
The Challenge annually recognizes ten early-career professionals with exceptional ideas to leverage optics and photonics and address global issues. Each awardee receives US$100,000 to advance their work.
Optics and photonics have the potential to change the world for the better in important ways, including:
- Environment: Optics and photonics can provide unique, effective methods to monitor our world, provide more energy-efficient devices, and solve environmental challenges.
- Health: Optical technologies have contributed to significant advances in the medical arena, and many challenges facing society call for new, innovative and affordable technology solutions.
- Information: Modern humanity and the global economy rely on optical infrastructures and technologies to drive our digital society, and new, more energy-efficient approaches and technologies must be developed and adapted to permit continued information growth.
This year’s Challenge award recipients are:
Zaijun Chen, University of Southern California, USA
“Accelerating optical edge sensing with photonic deep learning”
Ahmed Dorrah, Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, USA
“Structured light generation and sensing with metasurfaces for THz communications”
Samantha Grist, The University of British Columbia, Canada
“Silicon photonic biosensors for low-cost, portable, data-rich measurements of hormone biomarkers relevant to women’s health and the menopausal transition”
Nirosha Murugan, Wilfrid Laurier University, Canada
“Capturing Cancer in Its Early Glow: Pioneering early detection strategies using light-based biomarkers”
Justus Ndukaife, Vanderbilt University, USA
“Next-Generation high throughput plasmonic nanotweezers for nanoplastics analysis”
Alejandro Velez-Zea, Universidad de Antioquia, Colombia
“Multilayer holographic augmented reality with digital micromirror devices: content pipeline and system implementation”
Yicheng Wang, Ruhr-Universität-Bochum/Photonics and Ultrafast Laser Science (PULS), Germany
“High-power 2-μm frequency combs for rapid greenhouse gas sensing (HoLa-Comb)”
Fei Xia, CNRS (National Center for Scientific Research), France
“Low-cost stain-free computational spectral fluorescence imager for diagnosis of diseased tissues”
Ying Xue, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong
“Monolithic III-V active devices in-plane coupled with Si for integrated Si-photonics”
Fernando Zvietcovich, Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru, Peru
“Development of a clinical multi-excitation optical coherence elastography system to interrogate corneal biomechanics for the detection and staging of normotensive glaucoma”
About the Optica Foundation
Optica Foundation donors believe that by attracting, supporting and retaining the most capable young scientists and engineers in optics, we can drive breakthroughs that shape our future. By investing in student and early-career professionals and fostering their interest, we ensure the continued advancement of our field. For over 20 years, the Optica Foundation has been dedicated to this endeavor. optica.org/foundation
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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