Three CU Engineering faculty elected Optica Fellows advancing optics and photonic research
Optica, Advancing Optics and Photonics Worldwide announced that three College of Engineering and Applied Science faculty members at CU Boulder were elected to the prestigious organization.
Matt Eichenfield, Wounjhang Park and Greg Rieker are among 116 scientists and engineers from 23 countries who were elected as 2027 Optica Fellows, a recognition that distinguishes their research and careers in the advancement of optics and photonics.
“Their election by their peers is a testament to the significant contributions they have made and the impact of their work,” said Gisele Bennett, Optica’s 2026 President. “These members exemplify excellence in our field. We thank them for their dedication, service and continued commitment to advancing our field.”
The Fellow Members Committee reviewed a record 287 nominations submitted by current fellows. Optica Fellows were selected based on several factors, including outstanding contributions to research, business, education, engineering and service to the Optica community.
James K. Thompson from JILA was elected a fellow for for leading the development of continuous superradiant lasers for ultranarrow spectral width and spin-squeezed state of atoms for precision metrology.
All fellows will be honored at Optica conferences and events throughout 2027.
Matt Eichenfield
Professor, Karl Gustafson Endowed Chair in Quantum Engineering, Department of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering
For foundational leadership and creativity in the design, fabrication and application of nanoscale optomechanics, integrated photonics and active phononic-photonic systems
Eichenfield is Sandia National Labs’ first Distinguished Faculty Joint Appointee and the CEO and co-founder of Lightlogiq. He became the first Kavli Nanoscience Prize Postdoctoral Fellow at California Institute of Technology in 2010 before joining Sandia National Labs as a Harry S. Truman Fellow in 2011, where he founded the Optical MEMS group, which he still helps lead through his joint appointment. His research spans photonic, phononic and electronic microsystems in diverse application spaces such as quantum computing, inertial sensing, RF signal processing, and more. Eichenfield focuses on scalability and manufacturability to allow these technologies to be adopted in real-world technologies and applications. He received his bachelor’s degree in physics from University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2004 and his master’s and PhD in physics from Caltech in 2007 and 2010. His thesis on cavity optomechanics in photonic and phononic crystals won the Demitriades Prize for best Caltech thesis in nanoscience.
“I have always felt that the most interesting physics is inseparable from the question of what it enables. The work recognized in this fellowship began with fundamental questions in nanoscale optomechanics, namely how strongly light and mechanical motion can be made to interact by harnessing the power of nanotechnology," said Eichenfield. "It has since led to integrated photonic, phononic and optomechanical circuits with active functionalities for optical and RF signal processing, precision sensing and scalable control of quantum computers. I am grateful to Optica for recognizing that pursuing fundamental physics and building deployable technology can be a single endeavor. I am equally grateful to my colleagues over the past 20+ years who have made that endeavor possible.”
Wounjhang Park
Professor, N. Rex Sheppard Faculty Fellow, Department of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering | Associate Director, Biomedical Engineering Program
For pioneering contributions to advancing the understanding of light-matter interactions in nanostructures, integrated photonic devices and their applications in sensing
Park's main research areas are in light-matter interaction in nanostructures. Currently, he is focused on the nonlinear optical phenomena and their applications in communications, sensing, imaging and medicine. Park has published over 150 peer-reviewed technical articles and holds 10 U.S. and E.U. patents. He is a fellow of SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics, and is also the recipient of NIH Trailblazer Award, Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA Senior Fellowship in Cancer Nanotechnology and the Provost’s Faculty Achievement Award. Won Park received his bachelor’s degree in physics from Seoul National University and PhD in physics from Georgia Institute of Technology. He then worked as postdoctoral fellow and research scientist II at the Georgia Tech Research Institute until he joined the faculty of CU Boulder in 2001.
“How light interacts with materials in the nanoscale has been my fascination and led me to many exciting questions, discoveries and inventions. These include designing materials with negative refractive index and invisibility, engineering optical properties with symmetry, dynamically tunable photonic structures, and strongly enhanced nonlinearity in nanostructures," said Park. "More recently, these photonic nanostructures have led to some unique sensors with applications in biology, medicine and robotics. It has been a rewarding journey and I am grateful to my peers in Optica for the recognition.”
Greg Rieker
Provost Endowed Chair Professor, Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering | Associate Director for Engineering, CUbit Quantum Initiative
For pioneering applications of frequency comb laser diagnostics in practical environments
Rieker leads the Precision Laser Diagnostics Laboratory, which aims to understand and improve climate, energy and environmental systems through laser-based sensing. Greg Rieker has affiliations with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (now NLR) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. He received the NSF CAREER award, the Peter Werle and Hiroshi Tsuji Early Career Scientist Awards and the Colorado Governor’s Award for High-Impact Research. He is a fellow of the Combustion Institute, a senior member of the National Academy of Inventors and co-founder and CTO of LongPath Technologies Inc. Rieker earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Missouri University of Science and Technology and a master’s and PhD degree in mechanical engineering from Stanford University.
“The first time that I walked into the lab at NIST to start my postdoctoral work with frequency combs, I shut the door too hard and caused the lasers to stop operating. Fourteen years later, we now fly these lasers all over the world to perform measurements in environments ranging from ground-test rocket engines to power plants to biomanufacturing facilities," said Rieker. "Each day brings a new possibility, a new set of collaborations or a new discovery. To receive recognition from Optica for having this much fun feels almost strange. Despite a life spent measuring things, I can’t possibly quantify my gratitude for the scientists and engineers that I’ve had the pleasure of working with. Thank you!”
