University of Sussex physics professor recognised for excellence in advancing the science of light
By: Alice Ingall
Last updated: Monday, 20 December 2021
University of Sussex Professor of Photonics and Optica Fellow 2022, Marco Peccianti
University of Sussex Professor of Photonics, Marco Peccianti has been awarded an esteemed Optica (formally OSA) fellowship for sustained pioneering contributions to the field of optical complexity and the development of novel terahertz applications based on ultrafast nonlinear photonics. Optica is the leading society in optics and photonics research.
Professor Peccianti is one of 106 Optica members world-wide to be elected to the Society’s 2022 Fellows Class, and one of only four UK-based academics. Fellows are selected based on several factors, including distinguished contributions to education, research, engineering, business and serving the community. The Fellow Members Committee reviewed a record 262 nominations submitted by current Fellows. As Fellows can account for no more than 10 percent of the total membership, the election process is highly competitive.
The science of photonics and optics underpins advancements in most areas of science, ranging from lasers used in medical procedures, nuclear threat identification using optics-based sensors and the harnessing of solar power, right through to the development of fibre optic telecommunications networks, fundamental to making the internet accessible.
Prof. Peccianti is a leader in the development of terahertz technologies, which are based on an exotic form of electromagnetic radiation and could be used to advance fields from anti-counterfeiting through to airport security, as well as in ultrafast nonlinear optics, crucial to the development of quantum technologies and optical computation and processing.
“Congratulations to the 2022 Optica Fellows,” said 2021 President Connie Chang-Hasnain, Whinnery Chair Professor Emerita of EECS at University of California, Berkeley, USA. “These members exemplify what it means to be a leader in optics and photonics. Your election, by your peers, confirms the important contributions made within our field. Thank you for your dedication to Optica, and for advancing the science of light.”
Professor Peccianti, who directs the Emergent Photonics (EPic) Lab in the School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences at Sussex, says of being made a 2022 Optica Fellow: “It is really an honour. What I always liked of the Optica society is the sense community and especially the ethos of scientific leadership by example. Indeed, my academic career has been influenced by many excellent examples from some of the best photonics scientists in the world and this award is a tribute to them. It is also a tribute to the fantastic researchers and students that worked in my group.”
Students from EPic and from the Ion Quantum Technology group of the newly formed Optica Student Chapter at Sussex have also been recognised for excellence within the field of light science, having won the ‘Wonderful World of Optics’ competition at the International Optica Network of Students (IONS) Ireland 2021 conference this month.
The Sussex students won with a video they made for photonics outreach, titled ‘Optical Phenomenon Iridescence’. The main focus of the video is an app that the group developed to create the effects of iridescence on a smartphone.
Vittorio Cecconi, PhD researcher with the EPic group and student lead on the IONS competition entry, explains: “This was an idea I had a couple of years ago but never had the time for. Only recently, Antonio and I managed to develop the App and finally make it happen. We knew that this had great potential for outreach, and this competition seemed the perfect opportunity to involve the University of Sussex OPTICA Student Chapter for realising this video. We are very relieved and very proud to have won the closely-fought contest. We would like to give a special thanks to IONS and OPTICA for organising this contest and the EPic and IQT research groups at the University of Sussex for supporting the Chapter.”
The group worked together on the app and then created the video, but due to technical issues caused by variances in operating systems, the app is only installed on one smartphone in the world right now – and that belongs to the Chapter. The hope is that they will make it commercially available at a later date.