The Nanophotonics journal is proud to announce a new award named after the Founding Editor Federico Capasso, Robert L. Wallace Professor of Applied Physics and Vinton Hayes Senior Research Fellow in Electrical Engineering, Harvard University, USA

The Photonics Innovation Award has been established to recognize scientists who are leading the way in science and technology.

Congratulations to the winner of the 2025 Photonics Innovation Award!

Charles Roques-Carmes, Stanford University, USA

Charles was nominated for his groundbreaking research that bridges fundamental science and practical applications. His work not only advances scientific understanding but also lays the foundation for technologies that improve imaging, sensing, and communication across multiple fields.

“I’m deeply honored to receive this award celebrating Federico Capasso’s extraordinary and ongoing legacy in our field. Federico was one of my first mentors in science, and I owe him a great deal. This recognition highlights how bridging fundamental research and technology can lead to lasting impact, and I’m excited to keep building on that vision.”

“It is very rare to find a young scientist of the caliber of Charles, capable of moving creatively and seamlessly across so many areas of optics! He is a perfect match for this award “
Professor Federico Capasso, Harvard University, USA

About the award

To honor and celebrate the work of Federico Capasso, we’ve launched an award to recognize individuals making innovative discoveries in the field of photonics.

We seek nominations for scientists who have produced outstanding research leading to new technology, demonstrated the ability to leverage creative and scientific insights to create real technologies, or shown the potential to build new technology.

The winner of this award receives a certificate and a prize of €4,000.

Criteria

Nominees must have earned their PhD in the last 10 years.
Nominees do not need to have published research in Nanophotonics.
The award is presented to an individual. Joint nominations are not permitted.
The individual should not have been the recipient of a Nanophotonics award within the past two years.

Watch out for details about next year's award!