Shaya Fainman

Yeshaiahu (Shaya) Fainman is an inaugural ASML/Cymer Chair Professor of Advanced Optical Technologies and Distinguished Professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) at the University of California (UC) San Diego. He received M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees from Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in 1979 and 1983, respectively. He is directing research of the Ultrafast and Nanoscale Optics group at UC San Diego and made significant contributions to near field optical phenomena, nanoscale science and engineering of ultra-small, sub-micrometer semiconductor light emitters and nanolasers, inhomogeneous and meta-materials, nanophotonics and plasmonics, and non-conventional imaging. His current research interests are in near field optical science and technology with applications to information technologies and biomedical sensing. He contributed over 340 manuscripts to peer-reviewed journals and over 560 conference presentations and conference proceedings. He is a Fellow of the Optical Society of America, Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Fellow of the Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers, and a recipient of the Miriam and Aharon Gutvirt Prize, Lady Davis Fellowship, Brown Award, Gabor Award, Emmett N. Leith Medal, Joseph Fraunhofer Award/Robert M. Burley Prize and OPTICA Holonyak Award.

For more information, see QI stories “UC San Diego Researchers Awarded $1 Million to Build First-of-its-Kind Microscope,” “New Laser Based on Unusual Physics Phenomenon Could Improve Telecoms, Computing and More,” “Laser Cavities Take on New Shapes and Functionalities” and “Thin, Flexible, Light-absorbent Material for Energy and Stealth Applications.” Fainman’s profile on UC San Diego’s Program in Materials Science and Engineering site also provides additional information.