Foto: MPL

The Board of Directors of the scientific organization Optica (formerly OSA) elected new Fellow Members at its November 2021 meeting. Two of them are researchers at MPL: Maria Chekhova is being honoured specifically for pioneering contributions to the science and applications of photon pairs and twin beams; Florian Marquardt for pioneering fundamental contributions to the theory of cavity optomechanics.

“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.”

Chekhova and Marquardt are not the first MPL scientists to take up a position in Optica from 2022 - MPL Founding Director Gerd Leuchs was recently elected Optica Vice President.

Optica Fellow Members 2022

Fellows are Optica members who have served with distinction in the advancement of optics and photonics. The Fellow Members Committee, led by Saša Bajt, group leader at Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Germany, reviewed a record 262 nominations submitted by current Fellows. 106 members from 24 countries were elected. As Fellows can account for no more than 10 percent of the total membership, the election process is highly competitive. Candidates are recommended by the Fellow Members Committee and then submitted for review and approval by the Awards Council and Board of Directors.

The new Optica Fellows will be honoured at the Society’s conferences and events throughout 2022.

About Optica

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.