Jonathan Wierer Elected as Fellow Member of Optica

ECE Professor Jonathan Wierer was elected as a Fellow Member of Optica by the Society’s Board of Directors this October. He is being honored specifically “For pioneering contributions to the physics and engineering of high-efficiency, high-power light- …

ECE Professor Jonathan Wierer was elected as a Fellow Member of Optica by the Society’s Board of Directors this October. He is being honored specifically “For pioneering contributions to the physics and engineering of high-efficiency, high-power light-emitting-diode illumination sources.”

Optica (formerly OSA) is dedicated to promoting the generation, application, archiving, and dissemination of knowledge in optics and photonics worldwide. 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.

Fellow membership in Optica is limited to no more than ten percent of the membership and is reserved for members who have served with distinction in the advancement of optics and photonics.

“It is a great honor to become a Fellow of Optica,” said Wierer. “I am proud to be recognized by my peers, and I have been very fortunate to be in organizations and have mentors who have helped me throughout my career.”

Wierer’s research interests include semiconductor device physics and semiconductor materials science. Specifically, he is interested in researching electronic and optoelectronic devices with wide bandgap semiconductors. He graduated with a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana in 1999 and worked at Philips-Lumileds, Sandia National Labs, and Lehigh University. An author or co-author of over 200 journal publications and conference presentations, he holds 42 patents, predominantly related to III-nitride devices. Wierer is a senior editor for the IEEE Photonics Technology Letters journal and is a senior member of IEEE.

Interim Head of ECE Veena Misra remarked, “Jonathan Wierer’s innovative efforts to advance the field of optics has earned him a well-deserved honor as a Fellow of Optica, a testament to his exceptional contributions to the world of photonics.”