Optica announced that Professor Jelena Vučković was selected as the 2026 recipient of the R. W. Wood Prize. She is honored for pioneering contributions to integrated photonics, foundational work in quantum photonics, and the breakthrough development of a practical photonic inverse design. Established in 1975, the Wood Prize recognizes an outstanding discovery, scientific or technical achievement or invention in the field of optics.

Jelena is the Jensen Huang Professor of Global Leadership, Professor of Electrical Engineering and, by courtesy, of Applied Physics at Stanford, where she leads the Nanoscale and Quantum Photonics Lab in the Ginzton Laboratory. Her research interests are broadly in the areas of photonics, quantum science and engineering, quantum optics, photonics inverse design, nonlinear optics, and cavity QED. Her current projects include semiconductor quantum systems, heterogeneously integrated, inverse designed photonics, and on-chip integrated laser systems, including Ti:sapphire lasers.

Source: Optica Names Jelena Vuckovic the 2026 R.W. Wood Prize Recipient